Escape to Forever
by MidnightBlue88
Summary: Six years after the Tucks leave Treegap, Winnie decides to take fate and a bottle of the spring water into her own hands by striking out on her own to find them. Does she have a future with them or is she destined for mortality? Incomplete, for now.
1. Chapter One: Seventeen

Author's Note: I do not own Winnie, Jesse, Miles, Ma Tuck, Pa Tuck, Mrs. Foster, Mr. Foster, or any of the characters created by Natalie Babbitt in her original novel, Tuck Everlasting. Any characters not created by Natalie Babbitt come from my own imagination and may not be used by anyone else. This story may not be sold, reproduced, or used in any way without my permission. 

Tuck Everlasting is a wonderful book with a wonderful ending. I do not think the ending should be changed in any way. However, my abundance of time coupled with an obsession with the book and upcoming movie has spawned an alternate ending to the story. I mean no disrespect to the author with this piece. I hope everyone enjoys my story. 

Chapter One: Seventeen

"Winifred! Your supper is getting cold!"

Winnie Foster turned toward the mirror and sighed. Using the tips of her fingers, she smoothed out her long brown hair and adjusted the yellow ribbon that held it back. Then she moved her hand up to her face and traced her fingers along her jaw line and underneath her eyes. The skin beneath her eyes was puffy and slightly purplish from lack of sleep, but there were no wrinkles. Not yet, anyway.

"Winifred! What are you doing up there?" Her mother's shrill message rang in Winnie's ear like a blast from a train whistle. Winnie broke her gaze with the mirror and walked swiftly toward the door. Her shoes thudded softly on the mauve carpet as she made her way down the stairs and into the dining room. 

Her mother gave her a cursory glance as she sat in her chair beside her father. "Well, I'm glad you finally decided to join us, dear. I never did like my chicken warm."

Winnie blushed and lowered her eyes to the plate in front of her. She started to pick up her fork, but the sound of her mother clearing her throat stopped her. Winnie replaced the silverware to its proper place and bowed her head while he father blessed the food. 

When he was finished, Mr. Foster turned to Winnie and smiled. "How was your day?"

"It was wonderful. Thank you."

"That is always nice to hear, isn't it, Martha?"

Mrs. Foster didn't look up at her husband. She returned her spoon to the bowl of soup and dabbed her mouth with the cream colored napkin. "Of course," she replied stiffly, and took another sip of broth.

The rest of the meal was taken in silence as the family concentrated on the food in front of them. Winnie picked at the chicken and spread the potatoes around with her fork, but did not have the appetite to eat much of it. After twenty minutes of this, she looked up at her parents and asked to be excused.

Her mother cast a disapproving glance at the half-eaten food on her plate. "But you haven't finished your dinner. Eat the rest of your chicken."

"I'm really not hungry, Mama."

"It doesn't matter if you are hungry, Winnie. You are a growing girl and you need to eat. You're already too thin as it is. Skipping meals won't help matters any." Mrs. Foster locked eyes with her daughter and nodded towards the plate. "Go ahead. Finish your chicken."

Winnie's father set down his fork and looked to his wife. "Now, Martha, if she isn't hungry, then we can't force her to eat."

Mrs. Foster gave her husband a withering stare. "She is seventeen. She needs her nourishment. If she gets any thinner, she won't be able to have children and if she can't have children, then she won't find a husband." Her voice was so cold and steely that Winnie shivered.

"That's absurd and you know it. She may be thin, but she isn't deformed. There is no sense in trying to force food down her throat when she obviously doesn't want it. Perhaps she simply isn't feeling well." Winnie's father turned and gave her a concerned look. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

Winnie nodded and said softly, "Yes, Father, I'm fine."

Mrs. Foster's eyes flashed in anger as they settled on her husband's face. "Yes, Robert. Go ahead and be sympathetic. Be a good father. Obviously I am not doing a good enough job as a mother." She placed her napkin beside her plate and rose from her chair. Mr. Foster opened his mouth to answer her, but she had already disappeared into the kitchen. 

Winnie cleared her throat. "May I be excused?"

Mr. Foster jumped at her words, as if he had forgotten she was still sitting beside him. He nodded. "Go ahead."

Winnie placed her napkin on the table as her mother had and pushed her chair in behind her. When she reached the doorway, she stole one last glance back at her father, who was still seated. His elbows rested on the table and he was leaning forward with his head supported by the palm of his hand. Winnie felt a rush of pity and almost went back to hug him. However, she thought better of it and walked swiftly toward the back door of the house, careful not to make any noise should her mother decide to leave the kitchen. Shutting the door softly behind her, Winnie gathered her skirts and ran down the path that led her through her mother's rose garden and past the iron fence.

To the forest.


	2. Chapter Two: Spring

Author's Note: The disclaimer that applied to the first chapter also applies to the following chapters, including this one. Please respect my work and do not use it in any way without my permission. 

By the way, I would love to see some reviews!

Chapter Two: Spring

The forest was quite like Winnie remembered it, and why shouldn't it be? She had taken solace in its cool sanctuary many times since her friends departed years ago. The woods felt like they belonged to her and her to them. She was as much a part of its history as it was of hers.

Settling down on the thick roots of a large tree, Winnie leaned against its broad trunk and removed her shoes, which she placed off to the side. Her toes sunk into the mossy forest floor and she smiled at the sensation it afforded her. It had been a long time since she had allowed herself this freedom and she savored the simple pleasure.

Over six years ago Jesse had leaned against this very tree. The thought came so swiftly that she was unprepared for the reaction it would cause. Tears sprang immediately to her eyes and she let them flow, too overcome to brush them away. It had been more than six years since she had seen Jesse or Miles or Ma and Pa Tuck. Six years without word of where they had been or what they were doing. Six years since they had held her close and whispered their goodbyes beneath the cloak of night and in the shadow of the town jail. 

Winnie wept for them for the better part of ten minutes, recalling every dear thing that had passed between them in the two days they were all together. She could hear their voices so clearly that it seemed they were standing right beside her and many times she found herself glancing behind to confirm that she was alone. 

Finally, when all of her tears were spent, Winnie drew herself up to her knees and leaned forward to search the ground. Her hands came to rest on a small pile of stones at the base of the tree. With shaking fingers, she carefully lifted each of the stones away from the earth until small bubbles of water gurgled to the surface. Winnie could not suppress a gasp of delight when she saw the magic water brushing against her fingertips. It was still here, like it has always been, secret and strange and waiting.

But Winnie frowned. She should not drink from the spring. Pa Tuck had been against it from the start and she remembered their conversation in the boat near their house. All are meant to die, he had asserted. Life is a cycle. 

The image of Pa Tuck alone nearly caused Winnie to dissolve into tears once again, but she held back. She could see them again if she wished. She could take a sip from the spring and go after them and marry Jesse and all would be as he had planned. They would be a family like the Fosters had never been. 

Winnie's small frame shook with the weight of such a monumental decision. Indeed her mother was right about her weight; she had grown thin in recent months as she worried after the fate of the Tucks, which was tied to her own. It hurt her feelings that they had not come for her and she wished with all of her heart that they had arrived the day she turned seventeen. Things would have been so much better, she reasoned. My life would be so much better if I were with them right now. 

Winnie reached into the pocket of her skirt and removed the small bottle that she carried with her everywhere. It was her good luck charm and talisman, the security blanket she craved when she felt alone in the world. Jesse had given it to her the day he left in hopes that she would use the water inside to return to him when she turned seventeen. It was empty now, but she would change that. After unscrewing the lid, Winnie pressed the bottle up against the wet rocks and watched the cool liquid flow into the cavity. When she was satisfied that it was full, she replaced the lid and returned the bottle to her pocket for safe keeping. The rocks were then placed back over the spring to ensure the secrecy of the magic within. 

Rising from the ground, Winnie walked back to the other side of the massive root and slipped her tiny feet into her shoes. Then she lifted the hem of her dress from the ground so as not to spoil the lace and ran down the path toward her family's home, never turning toward the forest for a final glance.

She would leave tonight. 


	3. Chapter Three: Escape

Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate the kind words and would love to keep hearing them. I apologize for any errors in these chapters. I usually read over my stories dozens of times before I deem them worthy of publication, but because this is a serial piece, I feel the need for haste. I have gone over them and used spell check, but something may escape my attention from time to time. I hope it doesn't distract you from the story.

Chapter Three: Escape

Later that evening, Winnie pretended to prepare for bed. She changed into her pale purple sleeping gown and used the silver brush on her vanity to brush her hair. One hundred strokes a day since she was five. She was nearly halfway through when she heard a soft knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in."

Her father's face appeared from the hallway. "Are you almost ready for bed, Winnie?"

"Yes, almost."

He nodded, but didn't say anything more. Winnie sensed his nervousness and stepped forward to place her hand upon his arm. "Is everything alright, Father?"

Mr. Foster looked into his daughter's eyes and sighed. "No, Winnie, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for that awful scene at dinner. We shouldn't have fought like that with you in the room."

"So, you should have waited until I left?"

"Well…yes. Your mother and I have different views on some issues, but we should never drag you into it."

Winnie pursed her lips and turned back toward her vanity. "It wasn't your fault. Mama never should have spoken to you that way."

"Your mother is a good woman and she means well. She wants you to be happy."

It wasn't in Winnie's nature to disagree, so she kept her mouth shut. Mr. Foster stepped forward and enveloped his daughter into a hug. "She loves you very much," said Mr. Foster. "We both do. We just don't know how to show it sometimes." 

Tears sprang to Winnie's eyes, but she brushed them away with the back of her hand so he wouldn't notice. If there was anyone she would miss when she went away, it was her father. When he started to pull away, her heart resisted because she knew that she would probably never hug him again. 

"Good night, sweetheart," Mr. Foster said kindly as he turned toward the door. "You remember what I said now." With a small smile, he disappeared into the hallway and closed her bedroom door. 

"Goodnight, Father," Winnie whispered. "Goodnight forever."

She was almost ready to climb into bed when she heard a sharp tapping at the door. "Winifred, are you dressed?"

Winnie stepped forward and opened her door, letting her mother come into her room. Mrs. Foster walked in hesitantly, choosing to focus on the setting rather than her daughter. Slowly, her eyes drifted to Winnie's hair, which was now woven into a loose braid that trailed down her back. "Did you brush your hair?"

"Yes, Mama."

She nodded stifly. "Good girl. You want to keep that hair pretty, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Mrs. Foster attempted a small smile. "I always did think your hair was your finest feature. It reminded me of my hair when I was your age." Her eyes finally locked with Winnie's and she paused. "However, you do have your father's eyes."

Winnie's breath caught in her throat. "Is that good?"

"I should say so. I fell in love with those eyes." Realizing what she had just revealed, Winnie's mother blushed slightly and turned away to straighten the dust ruffle on the bed. Winnie didn't know what to say, so she stood still until her mother finished. 

"Well, it's late, so you should sleep now. Don't forget to say your prayers."

Winnie nodded. "No, Mama. I won't."

"I know you won't. Sleep well." Mrs. Foster leaned forward to give Winnie a quick peck on the cheek, then disappeared through the door before Winnie could reciprocate. A lump appeared in the back of her throat, but she ignored it. Then she climbed into bed and waited for midnight.

It felt much like the night she waited for Jesse to arrive so they could help Ma Tuck escape from jail. Every minute seemed to last an hour and every hour was a week. Winnie could hear the downstairs grandfather clock chiming 9:00 and sighed. Three more hours. By then, both of her parents would be sound asleep and would not hear their daughter rustling around in her room. To occupy herself, Winnie imagined what it would be like to see the Tucks again. Miles and Pa Tuck would sweep her up into their arms and Ma Tuck would grasp her in a firm hug and kiss her on her cheek. She was imagining what Jesse might do when she drifted off to sleep.

She awoke hours later to a silent house. Horrified that she had slept too long, Winnie jumped out of bed and moved quickly to the window. The moon hung high in the sky, but it was still visible, which Winnie took as a good sign. Without making too much noise, she walked over to her closet, where she had placed the bag she had packed earlier. Inside, she had included three changes of clothing, all of the money she had saved throughout the years, and the bottle of spring water. She removed one of the dresses from the satchel and changed out of her nightgown, then put the bottle into her pocket. Then she lifted the bag from the ground and crossed over to the window again, where she stared at the nails holding it in place.

If only Miles were here, she thought. He would know what to do. Winnie brushed her fingers lightly over the cool surface of the window. Perhaps she should try making her exit through the front door. 

The stairs creaked softly as Winnie's shoes padded against them. Every noise, no matter how quiet, echoed in her head like a trumpet blast. She breathed a silent sigh of relief when she reached the bottom of the stairs and walked slowly toward the door. When she reached it, she turned back for one last look at the dark, beautiful rooms that had been her home for the past seventeen years. She tried to memorize the features, which, at one time, seemed unforgettable. Now, it felt as though they might leave her brain the moment she stepped foot outside of the house.

Stop it! Don't think about things like that, she chided herself. You are about to embark on a wonderful adventure and you can't cloud your judgment with feelings of homesickness. Now turn around right now and open that door.

Before she could lose her nerve, Winnie escaped through the front door and closed it softly behind her. 


	4. Chapter Four: Night

Author's note: Thank you again for all of the kind reviews. I appreciate all of them. I hope that everyone is patient with this story. I am trying to write this and post it as quickly as possible, but true genius takes time. Just kidding J . Anyway, the story may seem boring right now, but I promise it will get more exciting, especially if things go the way they are supposed to. Winnie is going to be running into some troubles soon which could prove to have a definite impact on how the plot will develop. So, be open-minded and keep the reviews coming in!

Chapter Four: Night

As soon as she stepped out of her front door and into the darkness, Winnie knew that she had made a big mistake.

The town was pitch black, with only a sliver of moon and a handful of stars to light her path. The better question was, which path should she take? The main road went two ways: north toward Maple Bend or southeast, where there was nothing for miles but farmland and forest. Winnie had no idea about which of the two directions the Tucks would have taken and her bewilderment was not helping the situation.

Curse Jesse Tuck and his half-brained ideas! How on earth did he imagine she was going to find him with no idea where they had been for six years? And, more importantly, how did _she_ think she was going to do it? Maybe she should just return home and hope they would come after her someday.

No, she couldn't do that. The Tucks couldn't risk returning to Treegap after Ma Tuck's arrest and escape. Surely the sheriff would recognize her and haul her back to the town jail. They may even sentence her to be hanged for killing the man in the yellow suit! No, Winnie decided. She would not wait for the Tucks to return for her. She would have to do this for herself.

Besides, with a little thought, she could probably figure out which road they had taken. The road leading southeast would have probably been deserted, so there was a smaller chance for being found. However, if they were found, they may not have many options for escape. In Maple Bend, a town much larger than Treegap, it would be easy to blend in and find goods, like food and clothing. Therefore, it would be reasonable to assume that they had decided to travel north on their way out of Treegap. 

Winnie walked cautiously down the main street, careful to stay out of view from the homes that lined the road. She clung to the shadows like a criminal, darting between trees and pressing herself against fences. She was relieved when she finally reached the edge of town, where she was safe from the prying eyes of her neighbors. 

The forest, her safe hiding place, became less comforting in the dark of night. Winnie could hear the hoots of owls and the wing beats of bats as they hunted their prey from the branches above. Every few seconds, she would hear the snap of a twig or the rustling of leaves and would glance anxiously behind her for fear a rabid animal had come to make a meal of her. She felt that it would be a shame to die now before she had a chance to drink the water from the spring and prayed that the animals meant no harm to her.

The hours passed surprisingly quickly as Winnie drew closer and closer to Maple Bend. She estimated that the town was probably about ten or twelve miles off. However, after about five hours of walking, she did not see any sign of civilization, save the wagon wheel tracks along the worn dirt path. As the light began to shine through the treetops from the east, Winnie could feel her eyelids beginning to droop. It would be better to rest before reaching the town, she thought lazily. She was in no state to ask for directions and did not want to spend what little money she had for accommodations. She looked into the forest, which appeared much less threatening in the morning light. Perhaps she could make her bed here for one day and continue traveling in the afternoon when she was rested. Winnie considered it the best she could hope for and shuffled through the underbrush and into the dense woods. 

After only a few minutes of walking, Winnie found a small clearing in the trees. Satisfied, she dropped her satchel to the ground and leaned her back against one of the broadest trees. Her head slumped down against her bag of clothing and within seconds, she was fast asleep. 


	5. Chapter Five: Tavern

Author's note: Thank you so much for everyone who has reviewed! It is good to know that so many people are enjoying the story, though I definitely do NOT believe that I am a better writer than Natalie Babbitt! Anyway, I hope you like this next part. Keep the comments coming. 

Chapter Five: Tavern

When Winnie opened her eyes later that afternoon to see the afternoon sunshine filtering in through the trees over her head, her first thought was to panic. Where was she? Had she fallen asleep by the spring? She reached back to feel the satchel beneath her head and suddenly remembered what she had done the night before. 

So, this is what it felt like to run away from home, she thought wearily, rubbing the back of her aching neck. Slowly, she rose to her feet and surveyed the forest around her. She had been too tired to notice anything about the woods earlier that morning, but looking at them now, she could tell that they were much like the ones behind her own home. Except for one important detail, she thought with a smile. 

Back on the main road again, Winnie felt the pit of hunger gnawing at her stomach. She had not thought to bring food with her. In fact, she had not thought much about anything she would need on what could quite possibly turn into a very long journey. Her escape was an impulse, something that she had never had the courage to indulge in growing up in her mother's household. Despite the obvious lack of comfort that her journey afforded her, she decided that she was enjoying it immensely so far. 

As she cleared the next hill, Winnie's breath caught in her throat and she giggled. There, out on the horizon was Maple Bend in all of its late afternoon glory, sprawled out over the landscape just as comfortable as you please with rows upon rows of red and brown rooftops dotting the area like a chessboard. In the center of the town stood a tall brown building with a large bell on top and a gleaming white church beside it. Winnie, who had never left Treegap in all of her life, was amazed at the immensity of such a place.

Winnie stopped walking when she reached the outskirts of town, unsure of how to proceed. After all, she couldn't just walk in and expect to see Jesse and Miles waiting for her at the local tavern. No, she should have a plan, preferably a good one. It would probably be helpful to ask around town in case anyone knew of the Tuck family and, if so, where they could be found. If no one had heard of them, then she could get directions to the next town so she could continue the search there. 

Armed and ready for anything, Winnie made her way purposefully into Maple Bend. It was even more amazing up close than it was from the hilltop. The buildings were tall and colorful and packed tightly together. She could see signs for women's clothing stores and the livery. A pub was advertised on the right side of the road next to a three-story inn with blue shutters. She could see now that the building beside the church was the town hall and local jail. The memory of Ma Tuck being held in Treegap's version was enough to send shivers down Winnie's spine. 

She decided that the first order of business should be food and entered the first building that looked like they may by serving lunch. The tavern was small and dark, but she was not scared. Anything was better than walking alongside those eerie woods alone at night. Winnie summoned up her confidence and strode up to the bar. The bartender gave her a smirk, but didn't comment on her appearance. "What can I get for you, young lady?"

"I'd like to get something to eat."

"What do you want? We've got bread and cheese and beef cuts."

Winnie's mouth watered at the thought of beef, but she knew that they would be expensive. "I'll have some bread and cheese, please."

The man disappeared into a room in the back of the bar. Winnie glanced around the room anxiously. There were not very many people at the tavern in the late afternoon, only a couple sitting in the corner and a man who had fallen asleep at a nearby table. Winnie considered asking them if they had heard of the Tucks, but decided against it. She turned back in her seat as the bartender came from the back room with a plate of cheese and bread. 

"You want something to drink with that?"

"Some water would be nice."

The man scowled, but grabbed a glass from beneath the counter and filled it up with water from a pitcher. He watched her as she inspected it and frowned when she looked uncomfortably at its dingy color. "You get what you pay for, honey," he said and began wiping off the counter beside her. 

The water was warm and the bread was stale, but Winnie was so hungry that she would have eaten dirt if she thought it would have helped fill the pit in her stomach. When she was through with her plate, the bartender came by to pick it up.

"Excuse me, sir, but do you know of a family by the name of Tuck? They are…my mother's cousins."

The man thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Never heard of them." He started to leave, but Winnie reached out and placed a hand on his arm.

"Are you sure you haven't? It is very important that I find them."

The man's face softened when he saw the desperation in her eyes. He leaned back on his heels and looked out toward the door. His mouth opened slightly and he sighed. "No, I really don't know them, but there is someone who might. Miss McLaughlin at the inn knows just about everybody that ever came to Maple Bend. If they stayed here, she would know it."

Winnie sucked in a hopeful breath. "Thank you, sir! Thank you very much." Winnie reached into her pocket and fished out a drawstring bag that held her money. She placed a few coins on the bar and smiled at him gratefully. He grunted and turned away, but she could tell that he was pleased.

Winnie jumped down from the stool and nearly ran to the tavern's door, eager to see if Miss McLaughlin had any news of her friends.


	6. Chapter Six: Information

Author's Note: Well, by now you all know that I love reviews, so I won't repeat myself. On the other hand, maybe I will. Send your comments! I would hate to think that I keep posting this story, but no one reads it anymore. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter. I'll try to put these up as quickly as possible.

Chapter Six: Information

"Tuck? No, the name doesn't ring a bell."

Miss McLaughlin was a friendly young woman with fiery red hair and dazzling green eyes. When Winnie pushed open the door to the Bluebird Inn, she greeted her automatically and did not seem the least bit surprised that she was a young girl traveling alone. Winnie secretly suspected that Miss McLaughlin had some experience with this sort of situation.

"Do you know when they may have come through here?" The older woman looked up at the Winnie earnestly. 

"Well…it would have been about six years now." Winnie was embarrassed at how little information she had, but Miss McLaughlin smiled. 

"Well, that makes it a bit harder, doesn't it? I'm afraid we don't keep very many records of our guests, so it wouldn't do us any good to look it up. Do you know what they look like? Maybe I would know them if you tried to describe them to me."

Winnie moistened her lips and imagined her friends as they were the last time she had seen them. They wouldn't look any different now, she reasoned. "Well, there's Mae and Angus Tuck. Those are my mother's cousins. Mae is a short, plump woman that wears big floppy hats. Mr. Tuck is about average height and he has a sad look about him, like he's seen too much in his life. Their sons are Miles and Jesse. Miles is in his early twenties and he is very strong. Jesse is a few years younger. He has brown hair and brown skin and is very beautiful." She blushed as she spoke the last part, but Miss McLaughlin didn't seem to notice. She shook her head regretfully.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wish I could help you, but I can't. You just described a lot of people that come through here. I remember a lot of folks, but I don't remember your Tucks." She studied Winnie kindly. "Now, what else can I help you with? Do you need any place to stay? We've got rooms here for a good price."

Winnie squirmed at the thought of a clean warm bed compared to the rough tree trunk she had slept on the night before. "No, thank you, Miss McLaughlin. I'd best be on my way, but I do appreciate your trying to help me." She gave her a small smile and the older woman returned it.

"I do hope you find your family, Miss Foster."

"Thank you. So do I." With a final nod, Winnie turned toward the door to leave. However, before she could reach the door, a man and woman stepped into her path. "Excuse me," she said, attempting to go around them. The man shifted his weight and blocked her way once again.

"We know the people you're looking for," he whispered, looking deeply into her frightened eyes. He was a tall man, and thin, but not haggard. His hair was dark brown and his eyes were gray with golden flecks. Winnie found herself unable to pull away.

"What are you talking about?"

He smiled as if amused by her acting. "The Tucks," he said slowly, as she were a child. "We know where they are."


	7. Chapter Seven: Carter

Author's Note: Enjoy! 

Chapter Seven: Carter

"Who are you?"

The tall man smiled at Winnie's question, but did not look disturbed by her suspicion. "I'm a friend."

"Of who?"

"Well, the Tucks, of course!" He rolled his eyes. "That is who you're looking for, ain't it? Anyhow, I suppose I should make some introductions." He turned to the woman next to him. "This here is my wife, Maggie." 

Winnie had been so focused on the man blocking her way to the door that she had nearly forgotten that he was not alone. Maggie was tall and thin like her husband, but she did not have his features. Her hair was a honey brown and her eyes were a smooth chocolate color. She smiled at Winnie pleasantly, but did not speak.

"And my name is Carter." Winnie's eyes swung back to Maggie's husband and she nodded. 

"It is very nice to meet you," she said cautiously.

"And it is very nice to meet you, Miss Foster. I am just so thrilled that we ran into you here in Maple Bend. It's a big town, you know that? Imagine if we hadn't chosen this very minute to decide to head on out of here. Why, we never would have even met each other! It sure is funny the way things turn out sometimes, don't you agree?" Winnie nodded mutely, still unsure if she could believe him.

"Well, I'd imagine you'd like to know where the Tucks are. I'll tell you where, Miss Foster. They are living in a town not far from here called Windy Hollow. Have you heard of Windy Hollow? I didn't think so. It's a real small town about six or seven miles south of here. Why, me and Maggie would just love to take you there ourselves. We was headin' out there right now, weren't we, Maggie?" Maggie nodded again, but still didn't say anything.

By that time, Carter had his hand on her back and was leading her towards the door. Winnie followed, still too confused and overwhelmed to protest. The afternoon sunshine hit her eyes violently as she stepped out from the inn and she used her hand to shade them. Carter led both females over to a wagon led by a tall brown horse and held his hand out to Winnie. She looked at it, but did not take it.

"I…I don't know," she said lamely, stalling for time to think about the situation. "I don't know if I can go with you."

Carter laughed. "Well, of course you can. We don't mind none."

Winnie's heart pounded audibly her chest. "No, I mean…it's just that…" Her eyes searched the town behind her for the answer, but saw nothing. Then, she settled on two figures standing in front of the town hall who appeared to be having a very serious conversation. One was Maple Bend's sheriff and even had the badge and horse that went with the position. The other was Eli Wilson, the deputy sheriff of Treegap.

Winnie turned to Carter and placed her hand in his. "Let's go."


	8. Chapter Eight: Trick

Author's note: Thanks again to all who have reviewed. If you haven't reviewed, then shame on you! I'm just kidding, but I do want to hear from you. Enjoy this chapter, everyone!

Chapter Eight: Trick

"So, what is the name of the town again?"

The road leading out of town took only a few minutes and after passing the stables on the outskirts, Winnie saw the familiar outline of trees. There was still light outside, but Winnie felt fear rising up in her chest. She took a deep breath and glanced over at Maggie, who smiled at her warmly. Winnie smiled back, feeling a little bit better.

"It's called Windy Hollow." Carter snapped the reins over the horse again.

Winnie shifted in her seat and nearly fell over her when they hit a bump in the road. She clung on to the ridge of the seat with her fingers and held on for dear life. "So, how did you meet the Tucks?"

Carter remained looking straight ahead. "Well, we live down the road from them in Windy Hollow."

"Oh, you live in Windy Hollow, too?"

"Yes, we have for about three years now."

"That's nice for you." Winnie relaxed her grip on the seat slightly, feeling more comfortable with the situation. It's okay, she told herself. They mean you no harm. They are helping you. She resolved that she would have to start learning to trust people more when they were doing kind things for her. "Do you visit with them very often?"

"Oh, yes. Why, the Tucks invite us over for dinner all the time. We was just over there two weeks ago, wasn't we, Maggie?" Maggie nodded pleasantly and smiled at Winnie again. She smiled back again and relaxed her shoulders. This wasn't so bad after all, she decided.

"In fact, they was talkin' about you when we was there."

Winnie sat upright and leaned toward Carter excitedly. "Oh, were they really? Please tell me what they said!"

He smiled and snapped the reins again. "Well, they were just telling us what a lovely young woman you was and how much they were missin' you. We feel like we know you already just from hearing them talk."

Winnie was so overjoyed to hear that they missed her that she fell back in her seat. Her hands were no longer clasping the seat tightly, but were resting upon the edge comfortably. "Yes, ma'am. They just won't stop talkin' about how much they love you and your mama."

Winnie's blood stopped cold and her hands gripped the edge of the bench violently. Her mother? Why, the Tucks didn't even know her mother; she had made all that up when she got to Maple Bend. Winnie's breath came in short gasps and she pulled herself up stiffly. "Who are you?"

Carter narrowed his eyes at her, but had to turn away to tend to the road. "What do you mean, Miss Foster? What's wrong?"

"Are you sure you really know the Tucks?"

"Well, of course we do. That's what we've been trying to tell you this whole time." Carter stole a glance at his wife, who shifted her eyes from Winnie to her husband. Then she nodded and turned back to Winnie and smiled. Winnie did not return it this time.

"I think I need to go back to Maple Bend. Would you please stop the wagon?"

Carter pulled the reins and the horse stopped suddenly, nearly throwing Winnie from her seat. He jumped down from the bench and stood in front of her with his hand reached out to help her down. She took it nervously and stepped off the seat. "Thank you," she said as kindly as she could. "But I really must go now."

"I don't think that's a very good idea, Miss Foster." The hand holding hers tightened painfully and would not let her go when she tried to pull away. Winnie looked up into Carter's eyes and became frightened. The gray orbs with gold flecks were not kind or laughing; they were dangerous and serious now. "After all, you just never know who you may run into."


	9. Chapter Nine: Abandoned

Author's Note: I'm so glad that this story has received such a great response. I never imagined that so many people would enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. As you can see, things are starting to get a bit more complicated for Winnie. As you can imagine, it won't be easy for her to find the Tucks. Meanwhile, she will have to go through some pretty rough stuff. So, be patient. Just because Jesse isn't in the picture (yet) doesn't mean that it won't be interesting. Hang in there! 

Chapter Nine: Abandoned

"Who are you?" Winnie's voice wavered, but she refused to cry. 

Carter's eyes focused on something behind Winnie's head. "Like I said before, Miss Foster, I'm friend."

Winnie turned to see Maggie standing behind her with a pistol in her hands. She cried out and tried to back away, but ended up stepping on Carter's foot. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a small shove forward. She glanced anxiously between husband and wife. "What do you want from me?"

Carter laughed pleasantly as if responding to an absurd joke. "Well, I thought that was obvious. What does any criminal want? Your money, of course! Now, hand it over."

Winnie took a deep breath. "I don't have any money."

Carter's face turned to stone the instant she spoke. "Now, you don't think we believe that, do you? We know you have money. You keep it in that little pouch of yours in your pocket."

"How did you know that?"

Carter rolled his eyes. "Because we saw you take it out when you were in the tavern. You should really be careful about flashing your money around like that."

Winnie gasped in realization. Carter and Maggie were the couple from the tavern, the ones sitting in the corner! "You were in the tavern," she said to him.

"By George, Maggie, I think she's figured us out!" Carter chuckled again, but there was no mirth in the sound. "Just give us the money, sweetheart, and we can both be on our merry way."

Winnie quickly calculated the amount of money in her pouch and sighed. It was her whole life savings, the very thing she needed if she was ever to find the Tucks. To give up her money would mean giving up on the Tucks, and that was one thing she could never do. "No," she said as confidently as she could despite Carter's cruel expression. "No, the money is mine and you can't have it. I need it."

"Oh, yes, to find your family. Is that right?" Carter took a step in her direction and Winnie forced herself to stay put. "Well, you know what, honey? I don't give a hoot about whether or not you find your family. Do you see that gun over there? If you don't hand over the pouch, my wife will use it, you can be sure of that." Carter took another step and leaned forward until his face was inches from her own. "That's right. She'll put a bullet in your head as sure as the sun will rise and I promise that you won't live to see another day, much less your precious _Tucks_." Winnie could feel Carter's breath on her cheek and smelled the stench of alcohol that it contained. His voice dropped to a low rumble. "Now, I'm serious. Hand over the money or you will die."

Winnie sucked in a deep breath and put her hand inside her pocket. Her fingers brushed against Jesse's bottle and she was suddenly filled with a wonderful plan. She could drink the water! It wouldn't matter then if they shot her. After all, Angus Tuck had shot himself and the bullet didn't hurt him at all. 

Yet, something inside of her held back. Eternal life was a huge decision and one that she couldn't make with only seconds to think and a pair of armed robbers breathing down her neck. No matter how much she needed the money, she would have to find a way to go on without it. Her fingers moved away from the bottle and clutched the drawstring bag. She handed it to Carter, who smiled at the sight. 

"Now, that wasn't too hard, was it?" Carter pocketed the bag and motioned to his wife. Maggie stepped over to him and handed him the gun without a word. It occurred to Winnie that she had not heard the woman speak in the entire time she had been around her. She could see Carter grasping the gun firmly as Maggie looked on.

"Why, you're not going to shoot me still, are you? I gave you all my money! There's nothing left, I swear!" Winnie took a step backwards and her heels crunched on the gravel road. "Please," she begged softly.

Carter stepped forward. "Now, I believe you're telling the truth, Miss Foster, but I can't have you running back to Maple Bend and telling that sheriff what we'd done. We have to make sure that you can't do that." He took another step closer and Winnie found that she couldn't move. "I must admit, this isn't my favorite part."

Carter lifted the gun into the air as Winnie screamed. The barrel connected with her temple painfully and she slumped to the ground, unconscious. 


	10. Chapter Ten: Kindness

Author's Note: Just a reminder to everyone to go see the Tuck Everlasting movie this weekend! It starts on Friday, October 11th. I know where I'll be…

Chapter Ten: Kindness

The morning sun rose the next day as it always did, starting in the east and moving towards the west. The sky tinted purple, then pink and gold, and finally faded into a pale blue that became the day. It was this pale blue light that hit Winnie's eyes when she awoke that morning. 

When she first began to stir, the first thing she noticed was that she was in a bed. Oh, it was a dream! A frightening, horrible dream, she knew, but what an adventure it had been! It was all so new and exciting…with a few exceptions. Winnie was trying to remember the very end of the dream when she felt a blinding flash of pain slice through her forehead. 

She gasped. Her shaking fingers flew to her forehead and felt along the side of a huge bandage. So, it was real. Carter and Maggie and Maple Bend weren't a dream. Everything was real. She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. 

Before she could decide anything, Winnie heard a soft knock on the door and a young woman entered the room. She was about twenty years old with dark brown hair and dark blue eyes. She greeted Winnie with a small smile and shut the door behind her. "How are you feeling this morning?"

Winnie could do nothing but stare at her in fear. Was she friends with Carter and Maggie? Maybe this is what they meant by making sure she didn't tell the sheriff about them. That's what I thought this was for, she thought wearily, reaching up to touch the bandage on her forehead. The woman noticed the gesture and an expression of pity came over her face. "Are you still in pain? I can get you a cool rag if you would like me to."

She seemed to mean no harm, but Winnie didn't know if she could trust her. "Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Of course you are confused. My name is Rebecca. My husband, Tom, and I found you last night by the road with that horrible head injury, so we brought you back to our home. You've been asleep for a long time." Rebecca smiled and moved to the side of the bed. Her cool hand settled against Winnie's forehead and Winnie sighed. Maybe this woman wasn't so dangerous after all.

"Would you like something to eat? I have some oatmeal in the kitchen. I'll go fix you up a bowl." Rebecca removed her hand from Winnie's forehead and disappeared through the door before Winnie could say a word.

Winnie took the time alone to look at her surroundings. She was in a small room with a small window facing east. All of the furniture was made of cherry wood, including the bed she was laying on, a small chest at the foot of the bed, and a rocking chair in the corner. The walls were covered with deep blue wallpaper that matched the red and blue quilt on the bed. Overall, the room was very homey, especially compared to Winnie's own room in Treegap with all of its fine ornaments and lavender and cream settings. 

Rebecca arrived a few minutes later with a tray holding a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of tea. Winnie sat up in bed and gazed hungrily at the bowl. Rebecca had added a slice of butter and a tablespoon of sugar to the oatmeal, which was something her mother never allowed at home because she felt it would spoil her. Winnie looked up at Rebecca, who was adjusting the quilt at Winnie's feet. She was a kind person, Winnie decided. She and her husband must be very kind people to take in someone they don't know and care for them like this. Rebecca sensed Winnie's stare and smiled at her. "Is it all right? Is it too warm?"

Winnie shook her head. "No, it's just fine. It's wonderful. Thank you."

"Oh, it isn't much. If there's anything we have plenty of, it's oatmeal."

"No, I mean for everything." Winnie's eyes held Rebecca's for a moment. "Thank you for taking care of me like this."

Rebecca nodded and smiled sadly at the younger girl. "You were in bad shape last night. Tom and I were afraid you wouldn't wake up. But we're real glad that you did." She stepped forward and began stirring the butter and sugar into the oatmeal. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

Winnie took her first bite of the mixture and settled back into the pillows. Then she wiped off her mouth and began telling Rebecca all about Carter and Maggie. 


	11. Chapter Eleven: Tom

Author's Note: You know what to do- read, review, go see Tuck Everlasting this weekend.

Chapter Eleven: Tom

By dinnertime, Winnie was feeling well enough to leave the room and eat a meal with Rebecca and her husband, Tom. Tom was the manager of a small shop in town that sold farming equipment. As Rebecca told her, Tom just about ran the business himself since the owner was always out of town. The two of them were trying to save up all the money they could to buy the store someday. 

"I'm glad to see that you are finally feeling better this evening and could join us for dinner," said Tom as he held out Winnie's chair for her. "I just hope my wife doesn't burn the roast like she did last time or you may not want to eat here again." 

Rebecca smirked at him on her way into the kitchen. "I've never burned a pot roast in my whole life, Tom Ferguson, and you know it. Now you just don't listen to him, Winnie. He'll fill your brain with all sorts of nonsense."

Tom grinned at Winnie mischievously, and Winnie smiled back. Tom Ferguson was a tall man of average built with straw colored hair and a handlebar mustache. Winnie's father had kept his own mustache trimmed neatly his entire life and she mused over what he may look like with one like Tom's. 

Rebecca returned seconds later with a steaming plate and placed it on the table. When the aroma of the roast filled her nostrils, she felt her mouth watering again. It wasn't as though she hadn't eaten at all that day; Rebecca had fixed her a turkey sandwich for lunch. Winnie decided that she must have worked up a large appetite from eating next to nothing the day before. 

Tom blessed the food and Winnie was glad that she had remembered to wait before eating this time. However, when she finally did put the first bite of roast in her mouth, she nearly groaned out loud. "Rebecca, this roast is wonderful."

Rebecca narrowed her eyes at her husband and pretended like she was going to swat him. "See? My pot roast is always cooked right."

Tom pushed a piece of it over with his fork. "I don't know. This one looks a little burned to me."

"Oh, it does not!" Rebecca glared at him, but Winnie could see her eyes dancing. Tom grinned at her like a little boy and returned to his meal.

Winnie was fascinated by the way the two expressed affection for one another. Her parents rarely teased one another and would never touch the other in front of company. She could feel herself staring at them and forced herself to concentrate on her dinner. However, she couldn't resist one last peek. She glanced up to see Tom smiling fondly at his wife from across the table. Rebecca gazed at him sweetly and lowered her eyes back to her food. 

At this, Winnie felt something indescribable tugging at her chest. It was obvious that they were in love. She could see it in the way they moved and spoke and laughed when they were around each other. They were happy, and Winnie wondered if she would ever find something that wonderful in her own life.

Have you forgotten about Jesse? Winnie blushed at the thought of her and Jesse making eyes at one another from across the dinner table. He did say that he would marry her when she was seventeen, but that was six years ago. Maybe he had decided that he liked being alone and didn't want a wife. After all, he was only seventeen and he always would be. Seventeen-year-old boys didn't think about marriage the way seventeen-year-old girls did. In fact, he was probably sitting in his home right this minute eating by himself and thinking about how glad he was that he never did find himself a wife. 

The thought left Winnie feeling dejected and she ate the rest of her meal in silence, trying not to think about Jesse Tuck. 


	12. Chapter Twelve: Imagination

Author's Note: One final warning: Go see Tuck Everlasting in theaters this weekend! Oh, and I hope no one gets mad about the cliffhangers. Some seem to think that I am being cruel by leaving them like that. I hope that no one is upset with me again today. Did I give away too much? Sorry! Read on to find out…

Chapter Twelve

Hours later, Winnie rolled over in her bed, unable to sleep. Her hands were clasped together over her stomach and her head rested comfortably against the fluffy down pillow. Rebecca had loaned her a flannel nightgown that reminded her of the one offered by Mae Tuck when she had slept at their house years ago, only Rebecca's was much smaller. Winnie's toes curled slowly under the quilt, filling her with warmth. She had never been so comfortable in her entire life. 

But she still couldn't sleep.

Winnie tossed once more and sighed. Her head swirled with images of Jesse laughing and talking, singing and showing off for her. She thought back to the night that she had stayed at their home in the woods and remembered the way his face looked in the moonlight when he suggested they get married. Oh, how she wished he were here now to ask her again. Then maybe she wouldn't wonder if she was making this journey for nothing. 

Her thoughts returned to the Fergusons and dinner. After they had polished off the pot roast, Rebecca had brought out a freshly baked apple pie in honor of their guest. Winnie was very flattered at the gesture and felt happy that the couple had welcomed her so kindly into their home. 

As it turned out, Tom was quite the piano player. He sat down at the bench after dessert and performed a few songs for them. Rebecca accompanied him with her beautiful singing voice while Winnie looked on. They made quite the pair, and Winnie had felt that indescribable feeling creeping up on her again. She wondered if Jesse had a good singing voice.

Now, lying in the Ferguson's bed, she found that she desperately needed to know the answer to that and other questions. What if he didn't want her? What if he thought she was ugly? What if he turned away from her in disgust? She gasped as another horrible image descended upon her. What if he had found someone else?

The picture of Jesse with another girl brought tears to Winnie's eyes. No, she chided herself. You cannot think of things like that. The Tucks had stumbled upon her quite by accident and would never chance to tell another person their story, especially after their friends had thought them witches. No, Jesse could not have found anyone else. She knew that he was fond of her and she knew that he would be waiting for her to return to him. He would never betray her by finding another girl.

Winnie turned toward the window and looked out at the moon. Jesse was waiting for her. The thought made her smile. He was waiting for her to come back to him so they could get married and live together in the woods. By now, Winnie was grinning madly. Yes, they would be very happy. All she had to do was drink the spring water.

Winnie had been so absorbed in letting her imagination run wild that she had nearly forgotten that she would have to take the drink. Before she could even think about what she was doing, Winnie sprang out of bed and dashed over to her satchel on top of the wooden chest. She dug around among the clothes and finally found what she was looking for in the pocket of her dress.

Winnie looked at the bottle for only a moment before unscrewing the lid. Inside, the water gleamed, reflecting the moonlight streaming in from the window. It occurred to her that it didn't look any different from normal water. Anyone who didn't know the secret wouldn't have thought there was anything unusual about it at all. 

Without wasting another second, Winnie raised the bottle to her lips. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Potatoes

Author's Note: Don't waste time reading this! Don't you want to know what is going to happen? Read the story!

Chapter Thirteen: Potatoes

Just before the water touched her lips, Winnie heard a soft knock on the door. She was so surprised that she nearly dropped the bottle. As it was, a few drops spilled from the container and onto the wooden floor. Winnie quickly replaced the top to the bottle, put the water back in her satchel, and strode over to the door.

She opened it to find Rebecca standing in the hall wearing a similar nightgown to the one she had loaned Winnie earlier. The older woman smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you," she whispered. "I thought I heard you rustling around in there and I wanted to be sure you weren't feeling bad again. Do you need anything for your head?"

Winnie touched the bandage on her head as if trying to remember what was wrong with it. "No, thank you. I just woke up and…thought I would stretch."

"Oh, I see. Well, while I have you out here I might as well let you know that we are having company over tomorrow for lunch. Tom's aunt, Virginia, is going to be eating with us. You don't mind, do you? She's a wonderful woman. I just know you'll love her."

"No, that sounds fine. I look forward to meeting her."

"And I'm sure she will love meeting you. I'll let you go back to bed now, but if you need anything, Tom and I are right across the hall."

"Thank you." Winnie watched as Rebecca tiptoed to the next door and slipped through as quietly as possible, then turned back to her own room and closed her door with a click. She moved back to her satchel and took out Jesse's bottle for the second time that night. Turning it over in her hands, she contemplated her next move. Maybe it isn't a good idea to drink it now, she thought. She should wait until she left the Ferguson's house to make sure that she was alone and would not be interrupted.

Winnie finally fell asleep, content with her new plan. She woke up feeling groggy, but rested, and ready for a new day. When she arrived downstairs for breakfast, she was surprised to see Rebecca scurrying around the kitchen. The stove was lit and the counters were covered in flour. When Rebecca turned, Winnie noticed that a fair amount had landed on her as well. 

"Good morning," said Rebecca. "You look like you slept well."

"Yes, thank you. I was very comfortable. What is all the fuss over? Can I help you with something?"

"Tom's aunt is coming over today for lunch, remember? I'm going to bake some dessert and make potato soup. Why don't we get you some oatmeal first and then you can help me peel some potatoes?" Rebecca took a bowl from the cabinet above and filled it with the thick mixture. "The sugar and butter is still on the table. You can put what you want in it."

"Thank you." Winnie sat at the table and helped herself to the good things available to her. When she had fixed it the way she liked, she took a bite and turned back to Rebecca. "Rebecca?"

"Yes?" The older woman didn't turn around.

"I'm sorry that I have been such a burden to you. With company over and all, I'm sure the last thing that you need is a stranger in the house. If you want, I can leave this morning before Tom's aunt arrives."

Rebecca spun around with a surprised expression on her face. "Why, you're no trouble at all, Winnie! Tom and I are just thrilled that you are here. Not that we are glad that you are injured, but…well, you know. You aren't any trouble at all. I just know that Virginia is going to love you. She really is a wonderful lady. She's probably sixty years old, but she doesn't act a day over thirty. I only hope I age that gracefully."

Winnie smiled. She couldn't imagine Rebecca getting old. She couldn't imagine herself getting old, for that matter. Not that she was going to. Like she decided last night, she was going to drink that water as soon as she left and stay seventeen forever. 

Helping Rebecca with the soup was harder than Winnie had anticipated, but more fun, too. She peeled the potatoes while Rebecca cooked them in a little pot on the stove. 

"Tom loves my potato soup," said Rebecca, "but if you ask him, he won't admit it." She smiled fondly. "Like last night with the pot roast. That man just loves to poke fun at me."

"You didn't look like you minded so much," Winnie said.

Rebecca blushed. "No, I guess I don't."

"How long have you been married?"

"It'll be two years next month." Rebecca took another potato from Winnie and placed it in the pot, then looked at the younger girl mischievously. "So, do you have a love back home?"

Winnie felt her cheeks flame. She thought immediately of Jesse and his beautiful smile, which only made her turn a deeper shade of pink. "No…no, not yet."

"Well, it won't take too long before some boy will take notice of your good looks and sweet nature and decide to ask you to be his wife. I promise you, if it is the right man, it will be the happiest day of your life." Rebecca grinned at Winnie and turned her attention back to the soup. 

Winnie sighed dreamily and went back to peeling potatoes, but found it hard to concentrate on anything for the rest of the morning. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Virginia

Author's Note: Okay, so I saw the Tuck Everlasting movie in theaters this weekend and I was disappointed, but I still liked it. I think the book is still better than the movie because it is so well done and it captures the themes of life and death and living life to your fullest better than the film. However, I did enjoy the fact that the movie had a romance between Jesse and Winnie (obviously). The love parts were somewhat corny, but I may have felt less weird about them had every teenager in the theater not made hooting noises when Jesse and Winnie kissed. I liked the ending a lot, especially the last few lines. Anyway, I think that it was a good movie overall, but it could have been better.

Oh, and a response to some of the reviews. It was mentioned that it was unlikely that Winnie would have survived a gunshot wound to the head. Just to clarify that, she was not shot in the head. If you read it carefully, you'll see that Carter used the barrel of the gun to hit her in the head and knock her out; he never pulled the trigger. That, I believe, does not stretch the limits of our imaginations. 

And, finally, the chapters. I am aware that the chapters are rather short (though not as short as many of the stories posted on this site). However, I am careful about how I break them up. Each chapter has a theme and ends according to the natural flow of the story. Sometimes that means cliffhanger, sometimes not. I could incorporate them into larger chapters, but I like the way it flows this way. I am also posting very frequently (you're welcome), so if someone likes the chapters longer, then they can check back every couple of days and pretend that they are reading one big chapter. However, I will consider condensing them to make reading easier. I'll let everyone know what I decide when I do. Anyway, sorry for the extra long note. Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter Fourteen: Virginia

About three hours later, Winnie heard a knock on the door downstairs. She peeked out of the bedroom, where she had been changing into the nicest dress she had with her, a dark blue one with ribbons. She could hear Rebecca's shoes clicking against the wooden floorboards as she went to answer it. "Hello, Virginia," Rebecca said politely. "Why don't you come on in and take a seat. I have some tea waiting for you in the kitchen. It's apple-flavored, the kind you like."

"That sounds wonderful, Rebecca." 

Winnie stepped from her room and out into the sitting room, where she saw a rather severe-looking woman sitting on the Fergusons' green high back sofa chair. She was older, probably in her early sixties with elegantly grayed hair that had been pulled up in a bun. Her dress was burgundy trimmed with cream lace and she had matching combs in her hair. 

"Well, don't hide from me, child. Come out here where I can take a look at you." The booming voice caught Winnie off-guard and she nearly stumbled into the open with surprise. The older woman smirked. "Not very graceful, I see."

Winnie blushed the color of the woman's dress. "No, ma'am."

"Come here." The older woman gave her a cursory glance. "Well, what you lack in grace, you certainly make up for in beauty. Are you married?" Winnie shook her head. "Well, it won't be long now. Come, sit here and tell me all about how you've enjoyed Tom and Rebecca's house."

Winnie started to open her mouth to respond, but Rebecca interrupted when she came in from the kitchen with the tea. "Oh, Winnie, I'm so glad you're down here. I see that you've met Tom's aunt, Virginia Ferguson. Virginia, this is Winnie Foster, the girl I was telling you about."

"Well, I assumed that, Rebecca." Virginia rolled her eyes and Rebecca laughed. Winnie could only stare at them, amazed. Virginia noticed her still standing in front of her and patted the seat beside her. "Well, what are you waiting for? Sit."

Winnie did as she was told. "Yes, Mrs. Ferguson."

"It's Ms. and Virginia. No one's called me Mrs. Ferguson since my husband was alive. Ah, the tea. I'm so glad that you remembered I like apple, Rebecca." She picked up the cup and saucer and took a sip. "Delicious."

"I made one for you, too, Winnie." Rebecca lifted another cup from the tray and handed it to her. Winnie breathed in the aroma of apples with joy. Her mother preferred Earl Gray, which was great if you were old, but less exciting if you weren't. She wasn't. 

Lunch was less demanding and Winnie actually began to relax around Virginia Ferguson. As it turned out, she was always funny and sarcastic, which was something that took some getting used to for Winnie, who was accustomed to hearing such comments only when she had done something wrong. 

After lunch, Virginia and Winnie retired to the sitting room again for more tea and dessert. Rebecca went back to the kitchen to fetch the strudels she had made earlier. 

"So, you've never been married. Do you have a sweetheart?"

Winnie didn't know how to answer her question. What was she supposed to say? I may have a fiancé, but I haven't seen him in six years, so I don't know if he loves me or not? Somehow, she didn't think that would be appropriate. "No, I don't."

"Well, like I said, it's only a matter of time for someone as pretty as you. I remember when my late husband first called on me. Why, I was so nervous I nearly didn't come downstairs!" Virginia laughed at the memory. "It's a wonder we even managed to get married at all." 

"You must have loved him very much."

"Well, I should say I did! I acted like a fool every time he came near me. When he asked me to marry him, I started crying so hard I had to sit down! I tell you, falling in love shows you things you never knew about yourself until they happen."

Winnie felt her heart swell at the thought of falling in love. Could anything be more wonderful? She doubted it. The thought of Jesse asking her to marry him sent a row of shivers down her spine. Maybe she would cry, too, and maybe she would have to sit down like Virginia did when Mr. Ferguson asked her to be his wife. Only Jesse would be with her forever and she would never have to worry about one of them dying. They would be happy and in love for the rest of their lives.

"My husband was a lot like Tom. He was such a joker. Why, I remember on our twentieth wedding anniversary he said he was going to take me out of town for a special trip, like a second honeymoon of sorts. I thought it would be somewhere we had never been before, like a big city. Would you know that man took us to Maple Bend to stay at the Blue Bird Inn? Some big city, I tell you. We ate at the local tavern and went shopping for horse feed at the general store. If I didn't love him, I probably would have run him over with our wagon." She rolled her eyes and shook her head, but Winnie could see that she was barely containing a smile. 

"That was your twentieth wedding anniversary?"

"Yes, and I tell you, it was better than the first. Even with the horse feed."

"Better? How could it be better? Weren't you in love with him when you got married?"

"Well, of course I was! But love doesn't just stop growing when you say your vows. If it's real love it'll keep getting better the older you get."

Winnie didn't know what to say to this. Love getting better the older you get! She wouldn't think such a thing was possible. Wouldn't it make sense that it would be best when the couple first fell in love? She could see how Tom and Rebecca felt about one another and couldn't imagine that they could love any more than they already did. 

And what about her and Jesse? How would that work for them? Would it matter that they didn't age? Would it matter that their hair wouldn't turn gray and their skin wouldn't wrinkle? Would it still be the same if they stayed the same forever and ever until the end of time? 

"Anybody ready for a strudel?"


	15. Chapter Fifteen: East

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay with this one. School is making me crazy and busy, so I haven't had time for fun stuff like writing. Anyway, here is the next installment. Hopefully I will be able to catch up and post chapter sixteen by Sunday or Monday. Enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen: East

Winnie left the Ferguson's home the very next morning, despite protests from Rebecca and Tom, who insisted that she stay until her head was fully healed. However, Winnie was ready to hit the road because she knew that the sooner she did that, the sooner she would find the Tucks, and the sooner she found them, the sooner she could see Jesse and work out all of the mixed-up feelings that she had concerning their relationship.

Rebecca hugged her when she left. "Are you sure you don't want to wait another day? Tom could take you wherever you needed to go in the wagon if you waited until he came home. He offered last night, remember?"

"No, I can't stay any longer, even if I wanted to. I have to find my family. But you'll never know how much I appreciate the generosity that you have shown me during the time I've stayed at you house. Thank you so much, Rebecca." Winnie's eyes began to fill with tears and she struggled to brush them away.

Rebecca gave her a weary smile. "Don't you cry, Winnie. You'll make me start, too. Now you just sit tight for a minute and I'm going to go fetch something for you." She walked quickly into the kitchen while Winnie waited for her and returned a moment later with a flour sack.

"What is this?" Winnie peered into the bag, then closed it and looked at Rebecca. "I can't take all of this. It's too much."

"Well, of course you can take it! I only wish it were more. I know that you don't have any money left since those horrible people took it from you, so you'll have to eat something." Winnie opened her mouth to speak, but Rebecca shushed her. "Now, I don't want to hear another word. You just take this as a gift and don't say anything more. Do you want anymore oatmeal?"

Winnie laughed. "No, thank you. I'm full as it is."

"Are you sure? There's still some in the pot back there."

"No, I'm fine. I promise. Thank you."

Rebecca smiled, but it was sad this time. "You take care of yourself, you hear?"

"Yes, I hear. Good bye, Rebecca."

"Good bye, Winnie Foster. Good luck to you."

Winnie took the road heading east out of town, which happened to be named Fredericksburg, not Windy Hollow as she had originally thought. The name Windy Hollow had been made up by Carter, as had the story about his knowing the Tucks. Oddly enough, it was Virginia that had given her the first real clue in her journey. They had been enjoying Rebecca's strudels the day before when the conversation rolled back around to why she was traveling. 

"I am trying to find my family," she had said, taking another bite of the warm, fruit-filled pastry. "I think they may have traveled through here sometime ago."

"What is their name, dear? Is it Foster?"

"No, Tuck. They are my mother's cousins."

Virginia's brow wrinkled in concentration. "Tuck? It sounds familiar, but at my age, you just never know."

Winnie sat forward eagerly. "Oh, do you know them? Please try to remember."

The older woman nodded her head. "Yes, I believe I do. They were an older couple, though they were younger than me. Very nice people." 

"Mae and Angus! Is that who they were? Mae and Angus Tuck!" Winnie was so excited that she could hardly keep from shouting.

"Yes. Yes, that's it. Mae and Angus Tuck. Why, they lived here a few years ago, remember, Rebecca? It was right before you and Tom got engaged. A sweet couple that lived down the road from me. Mae baked apple pie all the time and would always give me one because she knew apples were my favorite. It was such a shame when they moved. They were only here for about two months." Virginia shook her head. "They talked about going out east to live near their sons."

Jesse and Miles! "Oh, did they really? East?" Winnie was so excited that she was trembling with joy. "Thank you so much, Virginia! I'm so glad that you remembered." She leapt forward from the sofa and threw her arms around the older woman. 

Virginia scoffed, but Winnie could tell that she was secretly flattered by the attention. "All right. That's enough," she said. "Really, attacking me like that. You would have thought I had given you a bag of diamonds from the way you're going on." Then she smiled. "But I am glad that I could help."

Winnie was thinking the very same thing as she neared the outskirts of Fredericksburg carrying her satchel, where she kept Rebecca's flour sack. Virginia's memory of the Tucks was the first real clue she had in finding them in her entire journey. In her merriment, she found that she was practically skipping down the dirt path that led her out of town.

To the east. 


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Johannesburg

Author's Note: Thanks to all of my loyal viewers who continue to review for every chapter. I appreciate the encouragement. Inspiration has struck with some of these upcoming chapters, so I will probably be kind of consistent with the posting, though it may mean that my school work suffers! However, if I do take a while, don't give up on me. 

Chapter Sixteen: Johannesburg

Winnie traveled all day on the road that led east toward the river. Very few people used the road, especially when it was not market season for the farmers. However, she did see a few wagons during the day. Every time she heard horse hooves beating against the dirt, she hid behind a tree or bush until the rider passed. Even though her experience with Tom and Rebecca had been positive, the negative experience with Carter and Maggie made her think twice about meeting strangers. 

The landscape gave Winnie something to focus on during the all-day hike to the next town. The fields stretched for miles around and sometimes there was not a tree in sight. It was then that she could look out as far as she could see with out anything blocking her view of the horizon. 

With the sun beating down on her so relentlessly, it became hard for her to concentrate on her surroundings. After about three hours of walking, Winnie came upon a grove of trees where she could get some shade. She dropped her satchel by the roots of the largest tree and plopped down next to it. 

All of the walking had caused Winnie to work up an appetite. She decided that a small break and a meal would be just what she needed to build up some energy before continuing her journey. She pulled out the flour sack and surveyed the contents. Rebecca had packed a roast sandwich, two rolls, a huge slice of cheese, two apples, one of her apple strudels, and a canteen of water. Winnie smiled at her thoughtfulness and removed the roast sandwich from her bag to eat since it would spoil the fastest. When she bit into it, she remembered the first meal at the Ferguson's house. No matter what Tom said, it was still the best roast she had ever tasted in her life. 

After resting in the shade for half of an hour, Winnie pulled herself up from the ground and brushed off her dress. She took to the road again, refreshed and ready to find the next town. After another hour of walking, her wish came true. As she came up over the next rise, a small cluster of buildings appeared. A sign announcing the name of the town became clearer as she got closer. Johannesburg. 

Johannesburg was not nearly as large or busy as Maple Bend. In fact, Treegap was huge compared to this collection of small homes and businesses. The tavern and stable stood side by side on the right side of the road, while the general store stood on the left, surrounded on both sides by houses. However, there were only five or six houses in the entire town and no inns. Not that I could pay for a room anyway, thought Winnie.

Remembering how Carter and Maggie had trailed her from the tavern in Maple Bend, she decided to steer clear of that building. Instead, she headed over to the general store and pushed open the door. It creaked when she touched it, which made her cringe. She took a long look at her surroundings. The building was small, but full. The left side of the store held farming supplies, like chicken feed and saddles. The middle of the room was full of food for the people themselves, and the right side displayed fabrics and sewing equipment for clothing. Winnie tore her gaze away from the walking shoes set up in the corner and turned to the man sitting at stool behind a counter at her left. He was reading a newspaper from Maple Bend. 

"Excuse me, sir, but do you know where I could get some information about a family that may have come through here sometime?"

The man didn't look up and Winnie began to feel anxious. "Excuse me, sir?" He still didn't stir. Winnie walked closer to the counter and leaned forward. She placed her hand on the man's newspaper and tugged on it gently. Suddenly, the hands holding the paper shot forward, nearly hitting Winnie in the head. She looked at the old man's face, with its huge eyes that were wide with shock. She felt heat creeping up into her cheeks and stammered an apology.

"Lord, girl, but you did frighten me!" The man spoke very loudly to her, though she was only standing a yard away. Winnie realized that he was hard of hearing and spoke up.

"I'm sorry to scare you, sir, but I am looking for my family."

The man nodded and Winnie sighed in relief. His next words came at her at a near shout. "The ham is straight back behind the buckets of rice." 

"Ham?" Did she say ham? What did he mean? "No, sir, I'm looking for my _family_!"

"Oh, family!" The old man looked at her distractedly. "Well, we don't get many people in these parts." 

Winnie didn't pursue the issue. Even if the Tucks had come through here, it would be unlikely that he would know of them, especially since he said Johannesburg didn't receive many visitors. "Thank you, sir."

She could tell that he hadn't heard her, but he must have understood what she meant anyway, because he smiled and went back to his paper. Winnie sighed and walked back through the door and into the main road. She glanced wearily at the tavern straight ahead. Don't be afraid, she urged herself. Just go in and ask the bartender if he knows anything. Now, before you lose your nerve. She stepped out into the street and towards the building. 

The inside of the tavern was much like the one in Maple Bend, only smaller. The room was empty, save two men talking loudly at one table. She walked up to the bar and requested a glass of water from the bartender. He was a short, heavyset man with large forearms and a dark mustache. He scowled like the man in Maple Bend when she placed her order, and she felt a twinge of guilt. "Excuse me, sir," she said as confidently as possible. "I'm looking for a family and I was hoping you could help."

The man grunted as he placed the dusty glass in front of her. She barely noticed the cloudy brown color of the water anymore and downed half of the glass in a single gulp. The man took it in with a bland expression on his face. "I don't think so."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm saying that I don't think I know your family."

"But I haven't even described them to you."

The bartender didn't say anything else to her. He turned away and began stacking glasses on the counter behind the bar. Winnie felt her eyes well up with tears at his uncaring words, but forced them back. She took a final gulp of the water and stood up from her seat. Then she adjusted the satchel on her shoulder and walked back out of the tavern and onto the road again.

Winnie didn't try to knock on doors for information, knowing instinctively that it would not help her. She took the road out of town leading east, hoping that she would find what she was looking for in the next town. 


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Hopeless

Author's Note: Enjoy! Review! And, don't worry: Winnie is going to find what she is looking for very soon.

Chapter Seventeen: Hopeless

Hours later, Winnie decided that she was definitely not having fun.

The road leading east from Johannesburg was not an easy one, with its twists and turns and bumps and rocks. Every few moments, Winnie had to stop to remove a pebble from her dusty shoes. Even without the rocks, her feet were sore. The dainty shoes with satin trim were not exactly made for walking miles at a time on a road with no end. 

When night fell, Winnie found a spot behind a tree that sheltered her from the curious eyes of anyone traveling on the road. She took out a roll from her flour sack and placed half of the cheese inside of it. A few hours before, she had eaten an apple, but it had not satisfied her. Now, her stomach was growling in anticipation of her makeshift sandwich. 

As she went to repack her flour sack after finishing the roll, her fingers brushed against the strudel wrapped in cloth. She licked her lips and peeled back the covering. Within a minute, the pastry was gone and Winnie felt very satisfied. She drank a long gulp from her canteen, which she had refilled in Johannesburg, but was already half gone. With any luck, she would reach the next town tomorrow so that she could find information and water. 

After repacking her bag, Winnie removed her shoes. She sighed with a mixture of relief and pain. Her feet were swollen and red and her toes and heels had developed some painful blisters. If only I had some ointment and bandages, she thought wearily. Knowing there was nothing she could do, Winnie settled back against the tree trunk and relaxed.

The next thing she knew, the morning sun was streaming through the leaves and into her tired eyes. She squinted and reached up to rub her face lazily. What she wouldn't give for a bucket of clean, soapy water to bathe with! What would Jesse think of her when she showed up at his doorstep smelling like something the pigs rolled around in? 

Well you won't know if you don't find him, she chided herself. Winnie pulled herself up from the tree root and swung her knapsack over her shoulder. With some hesitation, she slipped her shoes over her feet, wincing the entire time. She added a pair of walking shoes to her mental list of wants. 

The day stretched on as Winnie traveled further and further east. The sun beat down hard upon her delicate skin and she could see that she was developing a sunburn. The blisters on her feet pinched with every step. If it weren't for the fact that the road was covered in sharp rocks and the fields were infested with snakes and other creatures, she may have taken her shoes off and walked barefoot. 

By the late afternoon, Winnie was down to her last few sips of water in her canteen and she was trying desperately not to drink anymore than she had to. However, the sun was unmerciful to her situation and continued its assault upon her body. She longed to see Mae Tuck driving down the road toward her, partially because she wanted to see her so badly and partially because she knew that Mae would let her borrow her huge, floppy hat to protect her from the heat.

Her food had also run out. She had finished the rest of her cheese and the last roll for breakfast and ate her last apple for lunch. Her stomach was growling loudly by late afternoon and she kept hoping that she would find a town soon so that she could get some water and food and shelter for as long as anyone would allow. 

When the sun set that evening, Winnie was so weak that she barely had enough energy to place one foot in front of the other. Where was the next down? There had to be one! She had put miles between herself and Johannesburg. Surely she should have passed another town by now. Frustration grabbed hold of Winnie's heart and she choked back a sob. This was hopeless. She would never find the Tucks and she would never marry Jesse. She was going to die out here in the middle of nowhere from heat exhaustion and massive blister injuries. 

Knowing that she could not take another step without crying or screaming in her frustration, Winnie practically threw herself onto the dried grass beside the road. The grass itched her neck and legs, but she did not care. She removed her shoes and tossed them beside her satchel. Then she curled up in a ball and closed her eyes. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

Hours later, Winnie woke in darkness. The first thing she noticed was that it was very late because she could not see the moon. The second thing she was aware of was the fact that she was not alone. 


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Jeremiah

Author's Note: I am responding to a question regarding Winnie's age. This story is based on the book, where Winnie is almost eleven when she meets the Tucks. It is only in the movie that she is fifteen. If you notice the way Winnie thinks about Jesse, her memories do not involve romance at all, only the promise of it should she decide to drink the water and return to him. Just so you know, the book is definitely worth reading and I would suggest running to your nearest bookstore or library if you haven't read it. It may not have the romance the movie does, but that is why I am here writing this story! Anyway, thanks to all who have reviewed. Notice the long chapter? Things are getting interesting…

Chapter Eighteen: Jeremiah

Winnie stiffened when she heard the grass crunching only yards away from where she lay. Her heart hammered in her chest like a bass drum and she held her breath, afraid even the slightest noise would alert the being to her presence. The crunching sound got louder as the footsteps got closer. Winnie clenched her eyes shut and prayed that whoever it was would not discover her. Her entire body trembled when the footsteps stopped inches from her arm.

"Well, I'll be," the form whispered, his voice deep and gentle, with a slight southern twang. Winnie's eyes popped open to see a man hovering above her. Her first thought was to scream or run away, but that didn't seem to be an option at this point. He must have seen fear in her eyes because he suddenly took a step backwards. "No, it's all right. I won't hurt you. I promise."

Winnie sat up hesitantly, her eyes never leaving the man. He was in his early twenties with sand-colored hair and bright eyes whose color she could not identify in the darkness. He wore a pair of dusty brown trousers and a tan jacket that had seen better days. His knapsack, which was very similar to her own, lay at the ground beneath his feet. She rose from the ground and dusted off her crumpled dress.

"Are you okay? Is there anything you need?" The man seemed to speak in earnest, but Winnie could not be sure. Her eyes met his, but she didn't try to close the distance between them.

"No, I'll be fine." Her throat creaked from dryness, and she cleared it loudly. It didn't help. 

The man noticed the strangeness in her voice and reached for his knapsack. Winnie's body went rigid again, but she relaxed when she saw that he had only removed a canteen. He held it out for her. "Take it," he said. "I can tell that you're thirsty."

Winnie's fingers shook when she reached for the bottle, but she didn't hesitate to take a large gulp. Oh, water had never tasted so good! The clear liquid ran down her throat like a cold fire, extinguishing the harsh dryness that caused her voice to crack. When she finally stopped to take a breath, she noticed that half of the water was gone. Blushing, she handed the canteen back to the man. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I…I didn't mean to drink so much."

He laughed. "Don't worry, I have another in my bag. Would you like more?"

Winnie cocked her head. "Who are you?"

"A messenger of God."

"What?"

The man smiled. "I'm Jeremiah."

Winnie didn't know what to say to this. "My name is Winnie."

"Well, it is certainly a pleasure to meet you, Winnie." He paused and took note of her rumpled dress and dirty hair. "I'm sorry if I am being rude, but may I ask why you are lying in the middle of a field?"

Winnie blushed again, but refused to be embarrassed. "I am traveling and there are no towns anywhere near here."

"Which direction are you heading?"

"I was in Johannesburg yesterday. I'm going east."

Jeremiah's eyes lit up. "That's where I'm headed. I'm meeting a good friend in Patterson. I can go with you if you like. Is that the town you were trying to find?"

"Well, I didn't know what it was called, but if that is the next town to the east, then, yes."

"Well, don't worry. I estimate that it's only about twelve or thirteen more miles from here."

Winnie's eyes grew large. "Twelve or thirteen miles?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Winnie shook her head without thinking. "No, I can't do that. I can't walk that far." She stared at her feet, which were still sore from the walking she had done the day before. Jeremiah realized her problem.

"You don't have any shoes?"

"No, I do, but they aren't good for walking." She pointed to the ground beside her, where her shoes lay after being discarded the night before. 

"I see. Well, I guess you can't wear those." He paused and thought for a moment. "You know, I may have a solution." He dropped to one knee and began rummaging through his knapsack. Winnie peered at him curiously, but didn't speak. After a moment, his hands emerged, victorious. "Socks!"

Winnie squinted in confusion. "Socks? How is that going to help?"

Jeremiah began unrolling the cloth in his hands and held the pair out in front of her. "They're really thick, you see? They aren't as good as shoes, but if you stay in the grass, your feet should be okay. They're even really tall, so you won't have to worry so much about critters. They should go up to your knees even." Jeremiah looked so pleased at his solution that Winnie couldn't help but smile. 

"Okay, thank you. I'll put them on." She sat back on the ground while Jeremiah turned back toward the road in respect. The socks were extremely thick and warmed her cold toes almost immediately. Jeremiah was right, too; the socks came up to the bottom of her knees.

After gathering all of her belongings, which weren't much, Winnie joined Jeremiah by the road. He glanced at her feet. "Are they comfortable?"

"I think they may work out after all."

"Good." The two started walking along the side of the road in silence, leaving Winnie to her thoughts. It occurred to her that she was being awfully trusting to allow this man whom she didn't know accompany her for such a long distance at night while she wore his clothes. If her mother were here, she would probably need smelling salts to gain consciousness. 

They walked for nearly an hour before Winnie spoke. "You said earlier that you were a messenger of God. What did you mean?"

Jeremiah smiled slowly, as if he had answered this question before. "Exactly what it sounds like."

"Are you a minister?"

He laughed. "No, but I wish that I was. I never received any formal education. The only wisdom I carry was acquired on a road like this talking with great men whom I now consider brothers. In fact, it was one of those men whose funeral I have just come from."

Winnie shuddered involuntarily. "That's horrible. I'm sorry."

"It's all right. He led a good life." Jeremiah cleared his throat. "He was a good man and I know that he is in a better place."

"Yes, but you must miss him."

"Of course I do. I will always miss him. He was a dear friend, but God needs him more than I do and more than the world does." He wiped quickly at his eyes and Winnie turned away. 

After a moment, Jeremiah spoke. "Why are you traveling?"

"I'm looking for my family. I have heard that they have traveled east."

"What is their name?"

"Tuck."

Jeremiah's brow wrinkled slightly as he rummaged his brain for a memory. "I don't think I know them."

Winnie sighed. "That's okay. You're not the only one."

"How long have you been on the road?"

Winnie thought for a second. "Six days. It seems like it should have been longer."

"That's how life works sometimes. One day you're young and carefree and the next, you're twenty-two years old, walking across the country with nothing but the clothes on your back and a song in your heart." He smiled to himself. "But it ain't so bad. Most things aren't."

Winnie didn't say anything, for he had given her too much to think about without adding to the confusion. They continued walking side by side along the dirt road until the sun appeared over the horizon, sending streaks of color into the dark sky. Winnie's heart skipped at the memory of her and Miles going fishing in the Tucks' lake the morning she stayed with them in their home. She remembered how he had let the fish go because she asked him to. Her eyes filled with tears and she reached up to brush them away. Jeremiah noticed the gesture and took a handkerchief from his jacket pocket. She accepted it gratefully and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I was just thinking about my family. Miles…my brother. He took me out fishing at dawn once."

Jeremiah nodded sympathetically, then paused. He started to say something, but shook his head. Winnie studied him curiously. "You were going to say something," she stated.

"No, I was just thinking that I know a Miles, but it isn't the man you're thinking of. His last name is McCormick, not Tuck."

Winnie sighed in disappointment, but pushed the thought from her head. Patterson, she thought. Someone will know something in Patterson.

"Yep, Miles McCormick is a good man. I haven't known him long. About three years ago, he and his brother moved to Patterson from the west somewhere."

Something in Winnie's brain clicked and she echoed his words. "Patterson?"

Jeremiah nodded again. "Yes, ma'am, he's there right now working as a blacksmith."


	19. Chapter Nineteen: Miles

Author's Note: Okay, so I know that everyone has seen the Tuck Everlasting preview with the song that goes, "Thinking over, thinking over…" It's a great song, right? Well, it's by Dana Glover, who is a really amazing singer and songwriter. I just bought her CD, Testimony, and I can't stop listening to it. It is really good. No, I do not work for the advertising company responsible for promoting Miss Glover. I only wanted to share this wonderful music with Tuck Everlasting fans. Go out and buy that CD! You won't regret it! Now, on to the story. 

Chapter Nineteen: Miles

It didn't take Winnie long to put the pieces together, but when she did, there was definitely a change in her demeanor. Jeremiah even noticed the difference and smiled when she laughed out loud at the prospect of seeing the Tucks again. 

Soon, however, her mood shifted slightly and she was suddenly very weary thinking of the distance to Patterson. By then, Jeremiah said that they had about ten miles to go. Winnie sighed and her stomach echoed the sentiment with a large growl. Winnie blushed and refused to look at Jeremiah, but he didn't say anything, only reached into his bag to remove a small bundle covered in cloth. He pushed aside the cloth flap to reveal a large hunk of bread and held it out for her to take. 

"Oh, no. I've already taken your water. I can't take your food, too." She looked into his eyes. "What will you eat?"

"I've survived on less than this. Even when I had nothing, opportunities were given to me to eat and drink and take shelter."

Winnie thought that sounded very noble and accepted the bread gratefully, though she made him keep half of it. They ate in comfortable silence as they continued down the road to the east. The bread gave Winnie much needed energy and she felt that she might actually be able to make it all the way to Patterson. 

"So, where do you live?" Winnie finished the last of her bread and looked at Jeremiah expectantly.

Jeremiah finished chewing the piece in his mouth and folded the rest in the cloth to put back in his bag. "I live wherever I am."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I don't really have a permanent home. I stay with friends and kind strangers and sometimes I just sleep outside...in the fields." Jeremiah smirked at Winnie and she laughed. "Where do you live?"

She sighed. "I lived in Treegap."

"And now?"

"And now…I don't know. I guess that's what I'm trying to figure out."

He nodded. "I know what that's like."

"Do you?" Winnie was suddenly very anxious to know someone who felt the same as she. 

"Yes. I had to work through that years ago. It's hard trying to decide where you belong…and who you want to be." 

Again, Jeremiah had given Winnie too much to think about and they fell into another companionable silence as they continued alongside the road. Hours passed and the day grew hotter. However, Jeremiah shared more of his water with her, so the heat didn't affect her the way it had when she was thirsty. The two talked about many things, including the Tucks. Winnie smiled as she told Jeremiah about each of them individually, remembering all of the events that had taken place during the time they were together. He listened patiently and did not interrupt as she rambled on. 

By early afternoon, the heat of the day was becoming unbearable, so Jeremiah suggested they take sanctuary in the shade of a grove of trees. Winnie leaned against the trunk while Jeremiah sat across from her on the grass. 

"How much longer do you think?"

Jeremiah rumpled his nose and thought for a second. "Probably only two or three miles now. We should be there in an hour or two."

Winnie glanced up. "That soon? Really?"

"Looks like it." He studied her face for a moment. "You seem worried." 

"Oh, no, it's just that…" Winnie faltered as she tried to describe what she felt. How could she explain the nervous pit in the bottom of her stomach at seeing these people again? They hadn't laid eyes on her in over six years. Would they be happy that she had come after her? What if they had grown to like their life without her? The thought of the Tucks moving on with their lives and forgetting her brought tears to her eyes and she struggled to brush them away without Jeremiah seeing them. 

Of course, he did see them, though, and a worried look came over his face. "What's wrong?" His voice was soft and honest, like his eyes. "Are you afraid to see them?" Winnie nodded as she dug through her pocket to find his handkerchief. She dotted her eyes with it and tried to collect herself.

"It's just that I haven't seen them in so long. I'm afraid that they won't be glad to see me."

"Of course they will be."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because families don't stop loving each other. They are always glad to see someone they haven't been with in a long time."

The words may have given comfort to someone who was actually looking for their family, but as Winnie was aware, the Tucks were not her blood relations. Another tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly before another could follow. Finally she swallowed and forced herself to stop crying. She put a smile on her face and looked up at Jeremiah. "Thank you," she said and handed him his handkerchief. 

"Oh, no, it's yours," he said, returning her smile. "You never know when you may need it again."

Twenty minutes later, the two rose from the protection of the tree grove and began walking along the main road again. As they made their way further east, Winnie could feel Jeremiah looking at her from the side. She blushed and turned her head to face him. She must have had a strange look on her face, because he burst out laughing. Winnie stopped where she was and placed her hand on her hip. "What are you laughing at?"

Her stance only made him laugh harder and soon they were both standing on the side of the road with hands on their bellies, each of them barely able to breathe. Winnie didn't even know what she was giggling at, only that his laughter was infectious. Finally, Winnie was able to collect herself and glared at him amicably. "So, what was so funny really?"

Jeremiah smiled and tried not to laugh again. "It was nothing."

"Obviously not. Tell me what it is. I demand to know."

"Oh, you demand? Well, in that case, it was your face."

Winnie was shocked. "My face? What's wrong with it?"

"Well, there's nothing wrong with it. You're sunburned, is all."

Winnie gasped slightly, and her fingers rose to touch her flaming cheeks. They felt warm, but without a mirror, she couldn't tell how much damage had been done. "Oh, no, is it that bad?" 

"It doesn't look bad. Really." Jeremiah tried to give her a sympathetic glance, but she could tell that he was trying not to laugh. 

"Okay, give it up. I must look like a tomato."

Jeremiah burst into a grin, but refrained from laughing. "Well, maybe just a little bit."

Winnie smirked and began walking again. She could hear Jeremiah chuckling behind her and tried to ignore it, but she couldn't help the small smile that appeared at the thought. 

The time passed rather quickly with Winnie traveling at such a quick pace. After about an hour and a half of walking, Jeremiah pointed out a few buildings on the horizon. "There's Patterson," he said.

As they approached the town, Winnie could see that it was much bigger than it appeared to be from the road. It wasn't quite as large as Maple Bend, but would definitely trump Johannesburg. Just the thought of traveling through that small, dusty, uncaring town gave her shivers. This will be better, she thought. Miles is here. Jesse is here.

"Do you know where this man Miles McCormick has his shop?"

Jeremiah nodded. "It's been a few months since I last saw him, but it should be in the same place. Come on, I'll show you."

Winnie made him stop quickly before entering the town so that she could replace her respectable shoes and return the socks to their rightful owner. When she was satisfied that she looked all right, she allowed him to continue. There was nothing that she could do about the filth or the sunburn or the rumpled clothing. She could only hope and pray that Miles and Jesse would not turn her away when they saw her. No, Winnie, she thought. You mustn't feel that way. Surely they wouldn't be so cruel. 

Jeremiah led her through the town until they reached a small open building beside a woodworking shop. There was a man with black hair working with a horseshoe in the front. Winnie's heart gave way to disappointment, but Jeremiah spoke up. "Excuse me, sir, but is Miles McCormick around?"

The man started to speak, but was interrupted by a deep voice from the back. "Depends on who's asking."

Winnie turned toward the voice and her heart jumped straight up into her throat. There, standing right in front of her, looking exactly like he did six years before, was Miles Tuck. 


	20. Chapter Twenty: Jesse

Author's Note: And, the chapter you've all been waiting for! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Everyone was very kind about my story, and I really appreciate you taking the time to read it. Again, I am sorry about the short chapters, but that's just the way the ball bounces. 

One more thing: if you would like me to alert you when I update my story, then I would be happy to do that. The author alert function of fanfiction.net only works if you pay, I think, but I will do it for free. If you would like to get on this "update alert mailing list", then write me an email from the address you want to receive the update at. However, continue to send reviews to this site so I won't have to keep them in my mailbox, okay? Thanks and enjoy this chapter (I know you all will!).

Chapter Twenty: Jesse

"Miles," Winnie whispered, almost unable to breathe. It had been so long. So long, but to him it could have been days. His hair was still dark brown, only a little bit longer in the back, and his eyes were still deep and sad. Little black smudges covered his unwrinkled face, marks left from a job working with a fire that could not burn him, only make him darker. Winnie could not take her eyes off of him. 

Miles turned to her when he heard his name and studied her for a moment, as though he thought he should know her, but couldn't quite place her. Winnie could tell the moment the pieces came together, because a thin mist came over his eyes and he sucked in a shallow breath. "Winnie?"

Winnie nodded, and stepped forward hesitantly to meet him. Miles came around the long work table and swept her up in his arms like a rag doll. She could feel her feet lift off of the ground and clung to him tightly. Her tears flowed like an ocean reversing into a river. A Tuck, she thought. I finally found a Tuck. 

After a few seconds, Miles released her and looked down at her with watery eyes. "Is it really you? You're all grown up now. To tell you the truth, I didn't think I would ever see you again."

"I didn't think I would ever see you again either. Especially walking down that horrible road from Johannesburg." Winnie laughed softly, but Miles didn't.

"You walked? All the way from Treegap? How did you…" Miles stammered. 

"Well, luckily, I had some help along the way." Winnie motioned to Jeremiah, who was standing a few feet away taking in the reunion. He nodded at Miles, who smiled and walked over to give him a clap on the back.

"Jeremiah! It's so good to see you again!"

"Likewise," said Jeremiah with a laugh.

The group was silent for a moment with Miles looking between the two of them and shaking his head, as if he could not believe that they were here. Then, suddenly, he turned to Winnie. "Oh, you'll be wanting to see Jesse now, won't you?"

Winnie's heart jumped at the sound of Jesse's name, but she tried to act nonchalant. "Where is he?"

"Oh, he's working out by the stables. He cleans the horse mess everyday," Miles said, grinning. "He probably smells like it, too, so I hope you don't get offended."

Winnie grinned back, but it was only so she wouldn't blush. Jesse smelling like a horse? Why, she probably smelled worse than that after walking and sleeping outside for six days! She ran a nervous hand through her hair in an effort to straighten it. A brush would have been very welcome at that point. 

Miles left his assistant in charge of the shop and led Winnie and Jeremiah through the town. He pointed out the various stores and taverns, but she didn't notice any of them. All she could think about was Jesse. Miles had greeted her with a smile, but how would Jesse react to her presence? What if she had traveled this far and he didn't want her? Winnie felt her old doubts returning and tried to push them out of her mind, but they would not go away. 

Finally, the group arrived at the stables. Miles stepped inside the wooden structure and called out for Jesse, but Winnie stayed behind with Jeremiah. No one answered his call, so Miles tried again.

"Jess? Are you in there?"

Winnie heard shuffling, then a familiar voice answering the call. "Yeah, I'm back here."

"Well, come out. I have something to show you."

Jesse Tuck emerged from behind one of the stalls with a grimace on his beautiful face. His dark hair held tiny bits of straw and his skin was covered in dirt. Winnie remembered the first time she had ever seen him in the forest drinking from the spring. If she felt that her heart was lost when she saw him for the first time, then how could she describe what she felt now? Her heart was not lost, nor was it stolen. It had been carried away to a beautiful place from whence she was certain that it would never return. 

"I don't have time for this, Miles. I…" Jesse's voice trailed away as his gaze fell upon Winnie, who was standing behind his brother. His expression did not change, but Winnie could see a slow fire building in his eyes. They stared at one another for several seconds before Jesse moved. He covered the distance between them in six steps and gathered her up in his arms. 

When Jesse's arms came around her, Winnie closed her eyes and allowed herself to be held. Neither of them said anything, but Winnie could feel unshed tears burning the back of her eyes. She hadn't realized exactly how much she had missed Jesse until she saw him standing there covered in dirt and who knows what else, with an exasperated expression on his face and her heart in his hand.

Finally, Jesse released her and looked into her eyes. His mouth opened as if to speak, but he must have decided against it, because he stopped. Instead, his lips formed a gentle smile, which Winnie could not help but return. After a second, they turned to find Miles and Jeremiah watching them curiously, Miles looking bemused and Jeremiah looking happy, if not confused. Winnie felt herself blushing all the way down to the roots of her hair, but didn't say anything to them. It was Miles who finally broke the silence.

"Well, I guess you'll be wanting to see Ma and Pa now, won't you, Winnie?" When Winnie nodded, he smiled at her like the brother he was supposed to be. "They'll sure be glad to see you."


	21. Chapter Twentyone: Reunion

Author's Note: So many things to say! First of all, thank you for the kind reviews. I appreciate all of them very much. I know that everyone is having trouble waiting for each new segment, but please have patience. From here on out, it is critical that I get everything just right, so you will understand if I don't update as quickly. 

Yes, flutterby, there is a Tuck Everlasting soundtrack, as I was informed by Jenna Michelle a few days ago (BTW, you should all read her story, Reunited.). I do not own it yet, but it is probably very good, and I'm sure it has cute pictures from the movie in the liner notes. 

In response to the remark that I should write my own stories, I will say that I do write original works. Two of them are posted on this site; you can find them by going to my Author ID page. This is, in fact, the first time that I have ever written a story based on someone else's characters and plot, and I am having a lot of fun with it. 

And, finally, to everyone. Yes, there will be some romance in this story and, yes, it will be between Jesse and Winnie. Good things come to those who wait…

Chapter Twenty-one: Reunion

Miles returned to his workshop to inform his assistant that he would be gone for the rest of the afternoon. When he had done that, Jesse and Jeremiah began loading the wagon with goods that Miles had bought earlier from the general store. While they were busying talking, Winnie pulled Miles aside for a talk.

"There's something I have to tell you," she whispered, her eyes darting over to the wagon.

"What is it?"

"Well…it's about Jeremiah."

"What about him?" Miles's eyes grew large and he reached a hand out to touch her arm. "Did he hurt you? What did he-"

Winnie cut Miles off before he could go any further. "No, of course not! Keep your voice down. I don't want him to hear us." She sneaked another glance at the wagon and could tell that the boys were almost finished. "I told them that you were my family."

Miles narrowed his eyes in confusion. "You told him what?"

"I said that you all were my family. You…and I guess Jesse, too…you're supposed to be my brothers. I suppose Mae and Tuck are…well, I guess they're parents." Winnie saw Miles's eyebrows raise and rushed to explain. "I didn't know what else to tell him, so I had to make something up. It was all I could think of."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure he won't notice. I'll just be careful not to say anything strange during dinner." He paused and Winnie would have sworn that he smirked. "I guess I'll have to tell Jesse, too."

"Yes, that's probably best."

Miles patted Winnie on the arm as he walked away. "Don't worry about it, okay? I'll take care of it." Winnie nodded and watched him walk over to the wagon to adjust the horse's reins. Her eyes floated back to Jesse, who was still talking to Jeremiah at the back of the wagon. His lips moved with ease as he talked, and Winnie wondered suddenly what it would be like to feel those lips against her own. The thought was fleeting, but its affect was less subtle. Winnie blushed furiously and looked at the ground, where she pretended to be very interested in her shoes. Finally, she couldn't help herself and looked back at Jesse. She was surprised and embarrassed to see him looking at her, but he glanced back at Jeremiah when she met his gaze. 

After doing her best to comb her hair with her fingers and wash her face with spit, Winnie rejoined the boys by the wagon. Miles called Jesse over to help with the horse, leaving Winnie alone with Jeremiah. He smiled at her as she approached. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just walked thirteen miles wearing a pair of really thick socks."

Jeremiah laughed. "Yeah, I'd say you have a reason to be tired."

Winnie smiled appreciatively. "Are you staying in town tonight?"

"Yes, but Miles offered to let me eat supper with your family, and I accepted. I'll come back into town afterwards."

"You won't be staying at the house?"

Jeremiah shook his head. "No, my friend is expecting me. I would like to spend as much time with him as I can." He paused. "Are you going to be staying with your family for a while?"

Maybe longer than you know, Winnie thought. Instead she said, "Yes, for a while. I don't know how long."

Jeremiah started to say something, but Miles came up behind them before he could speak. "Can you hand me that rope?"

Jeremiah fetched the rope and gave it to Miles. "Is everything all right?"

"Just having some trouble with the horse. He's…old." Miles glanced over at Winnie, who tried to keep a straight face. Jeremiah didn't notice. 

"Here, let me help." The two disappeared behind the side of the wagon, leaving Winnie alone with her thoughts. However, that left her quite lonely, since her thoughts were too jumbled to give her any comfort. Instead, she leaned against the back of the wagon and stared up at the sky. It was strange to think that when the sun rose that morning, she was despairing over finding her friends. Being with them felt odd, but somehow natural, as if they had never parted. 

The boys were finally able to fix the problem with the horse, and they set off towards the Tuck cabin, which was located in the forest on the edge of town. Winnie sat in the front with Miles, leaving Jesse and Jeremiah to watch after the food in the back. She felt a tinge of disappointment that she would not be able to spend time with Jesse, but dismissed it quickly. There will be time for that later, she scolded herself. After all, it isn't as though you're in a hurry.

Miles remained quiet during the trip, and Winnie was glad that she didn't have to answer questions about why she left home. It would be awkward to describe her indecision about drinking the water, and she didn't feel comfortable talking with Miles about her feelings for his brother. Besides, she didn't know how he would feel about the two of them being together in the first place. He may hate the idea of them starting a romantic relationship because of the unfortunate ending of his own marriage. Winnie felt a rush of pity thinking of Miles and his beloved, frightful wife and did not look at him for the rest of the journey for fear that her thoughts would be written all over her face. 

After traveling for about half of an hour through the woods, the wagon came over a large hill, and a small wooden cottage came into view. It sat on the edge of a beautiful lake with a long deck that stretched out into the middle and was buffered on both sides by trees. The house looked very similar to the Tuck's old cottage, only it appeared slightly smaller, at least from the outside. The wraparound porch stretched all the way around the house and was completed by a pair of rocking chairs covered in quilts.

The wagon stopped a few yards from the porch. Miles jumped down and helped Winnie from her seat in front, then began to untie the horse. Jesse and Jeremiah hopped out of the back and began to unload the food. When he had finished with the horse, Miles led it over to a tree, where he retied it. "Mother!" he shouted as he made the last knot. "Mother, come outside!"

Seconds later, the cottage door flew open and Mae Tuck emerged, looking worried and out of breath. Her light hair was held up in a bun, but a few renegade strands clung to her cheeks. She wore a simple blue dress and a white apron that looked like it was stained with jam. "What on earth is wrong?"

Miles stepped forward and motioned for Winnie to do the same. She obeyed, but trailed behind him uncertainly. "Nothing is wrong, Mother," he said calmly. "I just wanted to see our guests."

Mae looked at Winnie then and squinted. Miles placed his hand on her shoulder and led her up the steps so that his mother could get a better look. Mae smiled at the girl at first, but her face soon registered recognition. She gasped loudly and leaned forward as if to be sure that she wasn't imagining things. "Winnie? Is that you?"

Winnie nodded and was immediately enveloped in a tight hug that forced the air from her lungs. When Mae finally released her, a huge smile had formed on her face. "Oh, child! Is it really you?" Before Winnie could respond, the door opened again to reveal Tuck, who looked just as concerned as his wife had moments before.

"What is all this fuss about? Is something wrong?" Tuck looked from Miles to Mae, who was still clutching Winnie's arm for assurance of her tangibility. His eyes settled on Winnie and she could tell that he knew who she was. No flashes of recognition were necessary because he already knew. 

"Oh, isn't it wonderful? Our Winnie is home! After all these years, isn't it wonderful?" Mae looked at her husband excitedly, but he did not return the sentiment. Instead, he looked at Winnie again and nodded. 

"Yes, that's something all right. I'll go set an extra place for supper." Without another glance at either of them, he turned and went back into the house. Winnie felt a tinge of hurt at his lack of joy, but Mae did not seem to notice.

"Oh, Winnie! I am just so glad that you're here. It just seems like such a miracle!" Winnie smiled at the older woman, but Miles cut her off before she could go on.

"Mother, I'm afraid you're being rude to our other guest." Winnie and Mae turned to see Jesse and Jeremiah approaching the wooden steps. "This is my friend, Jeremiah. He's the one who escorted Winnie into town."

Mae greeted Jeremiah warmly, though Winnie was afraid that her own reception was more lavish. He smiled and shook her hand while she gushed over how glad she was to see him. A silence settled over the group while Mae shook her head and looked from Winnie to Jeremiah and back to Winnie again. The action reminded Winnie of Miles when he first greeted his friends and she smiled at the memory. Mother and son were more alike than they possibly realized. 

Mae put her hand on Winnie's shoulder and began leading her toward the door. As they filed into the house, Mae could not help but elaborate on her excitement one more time. "Two guests in one night! Why, this is surely something to celebrate." 


	22. Chapter Twentytwo: Dinner

Author's Note: Well, I know that I am going to get flames for this next chapter, but please bear with me on this, okay? This story will have romance, as I have promised before, but it is going to happen a little bit differently in this story. So, as I have said before, be patient (and, yes, HAA, I do mean you). Read and review!

Chapter Twenty-two: Dinner

The inside of the cottage was simple and comfortable like the old house had been. The walls and floors were wood, as was the furniture. The living room was small and cozy, with a worn red sofa and two more rocking chairs. The room opened up into the kitchen, where Tuck stood arranging a stack of china plates. A rich aroma filled the air and Winnie's mouth watered. With only a small piece of bread for breakfast earlier, she was definitely hungry. All of the excitement caused by seeing the Tucks again had allowed her to forget about eating, but Mae's cooking was helping her to remember again. 

Miles led Jeremiah over to his father and introduced them. Tuck responded kindly to the younger man and Winnie felt hurt all over again that he hadn't reacted the same way to her arrival. She watched as Mae approached the group to give her son the hug that she had been too distracted to give him earlier. "It's good to see you, Miles," Winnie heard her say. 

Miles gave his mother a small smile and stole a quick glance at Winnie. "Uh, Jess? Why don't you give Winnie and Jeremiah a tour of the house? I know you love doing that."

Winnie heard footsteps behind her and felt her stomach muscles clench. Then she heard a voice answer softly, "Sure."

Jeremiah walked over to where the two of them stood as Miles began speaking in hushed tones to his parents. Winnie glanced over at Jesse, but he was looking at Jeremiah. "So, you want to see the house? It's not much," he said with a chuckle. 

Winnie wanted to scream. I want to see the house! I want to hear you give the tour more than anyone in this room, she thought. Look at me, Jesse Tuck, and stop talking as though I'm not even here.

Jesse must not have heard her telepathic message because he did not look at her. Instead, he waved his arm in the general direction of the sofa chair. "Well, this is the living room." He took a few steps around the rocking chairs until he came to a door that had been left half-open. "This is Ma and Pa's room." Winnie peered through the doorway and into a small bedroom with a large wooden bed in the center. A bed. With blankets. She had almost forgotten how that felt. 

Jesse led them up a narrow flight of stairs that opened into a loft. Two small beds had been placed side by side with quilts covering both. "This is where Miles and I sleep. That is, when we don't stay in town." Jesse looked at Jeremiah and grinned. "Not much of a tour, huh?" Jeremiah laughed with him, but Winnie felt like hitting Jesse upside the head. I love the house, she thought. I love it, but you don't care, Jesse!

When the three of them arrived downstairs, Miles was talking to Tuck in the living room. By the motions he was making with his hands, she could tell that they were talking about woodwork. She heard the last few words of the conversation.

"I'll be able to help you with that tomorrow, Pa."

"I thought you had to work."

"I'm going to be at the shop until early afternoon. Alfred said he and James could take care of things after that."

Tuck nodded and turned to see Winnie and the boys coming downstairs. He looked only briefly at Winnie before focusing his attention on Jesse. "Did you show them the house?"

"Yes."

"Good." Tuck nodded again and placed a hand on Miles's back. "Very good."

"Is everyone ready to eat?" Mae stood in the kitchen with a large plate of chicken in her hands. "The food is ready."

It seemed to Winnie that it took years before everyone had finally found his or her place at the table. She sat beside Mae, who was the only one who appeared pleased by her presence. Miles sat on her other side at one end of the table and Tuck took the other end. Winnie glanced quickly in front of her to see Jesse sitting beside Jeremiah. 

Tuck blessed the food, and everyone began serving him or herself. Mae passed Winnie chicken, yams, and bread, and she took large helpings of all of them. She might have felt embarrassed about eating so much if she weren't so hungry, but the bread from her breakfast with Jeremiah that morning had gone a long time ago. She sneaked a peek across the table at her walking partner to find him scooping a large portion of yams onto his plate. I guess this is what he meant by the kindness of friends, she reflected thoughtfully.

The meal was taken in silence, as all meals were at the Tuck house. This time, Winnie did not feel uncomfortable as she ate because she could think of nothing but the plate in front of her while her stomach was so empty. Except for Jesse, of course, but she thought about him all the time anyway, so it really made no difference. 

When she had finished her meal, Mae rose from her seat. "Is anyone ready for dessert? I just pulled a vanilla cake out of the oven and it should be cool enough by now." She disappeared into the kitchen when her sons gave her appreciative nods and returned a moment later with a large golden cake. "I hope it isn't too well cooked. It looks a little bit burned to me," said Mae with a regretful expression on her face, as though the happiness of her dinner guests rested on whether or not the cake had been cooked for too long. Winnie studied the dessert, but could not see how Mae thought that it looked burned.

"It looks wonderful, Mae," said Angus as he watched his wife cut the first piece. The boys all nodded in agreement as she placed individual slices on each of their plates. Winnie raised the fork to her mouth and sighed. The cake wasn't burned at all, of course; it was delicious.

Jeremiah finished his cake very quickly and placed his fork on his plate. He turned to face Tuck and spoke directly to him. "How long have you and your wife been living here, Mr. Tuck?"

Winnie froze at the question and looked at Tuck for his response. Tuck was looking at Jeremiah carefully, as though he wasn't sure how to proceed. He opened his mouth to speak, but Miles jumped in before he could get anything out. "Actually, our name is McCormick."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought that since Winnie said…"

Winnie wanted to hide under the table as she felt three pairs of Tuck eyes focused in her direction. Only Miles remained unruffled at Jeremiah's words. "Yes, I know. Tuck is a family name, but it isn't used very often. It was my father's mother's maiden name that my parents used after they arrived in America. McCormick, being a Scottish name, wasn't taken very well by the neighbors." 

Winnie breathed a shallow sigh of relief at his words. So, that was what Miles had been thinking about on the ride home.

Tuck leaned forward again. "To answer your question, Jeremiah, we've been living here for about four years."

"Oh, really? Do you know Henry Childers then? He's lived in Patterson for about two years now, but I've known him for much longer than that. It is his house that I am staying at."

Tuck shook his head. "No, I'm afraid that I don't."

The table fell silent as everyone struggled for something meaningful to say that would not result in Miles having to explain part of their secret. Winnie hated that she had revealed so much to Jeremiah, and wondered if the Tucks were angry with her because of it. She looked at Tuck searchingly and his eyes met hers. His eyes were unreadable, but she saw his jaw clench, and he looked away. Winnie stared down at her napkin shamefully.

After the dishes had been taken into the kitchen, Jeremiah thanked the Tucks for their hospitality and announced that he would be leaving. "It is getting late and I don't want Henry to have to wait for me too long."

Miles went outside to get the horse ready as Jeremiah said his good-byes to the Tucks. "Dinner was delicious, Mrs. McCormick, especially that cake." Mae brushed away the compliment, but Winnie could tell that she was pleased. 

Jeremiah approached Winnie as she waited for him by the door. "Thank you, Jeremiah," she said. "Thank you for giving me your water and your food…and your socks."

Jeremiah laughed. "It was my pleasure."

"Yes, but I appreciate all that you did very much. If it weren't for you, I never would have found Miles…or the rest of my family." She paused and tried to think of something else to say. Too much had already been said, but she felt that it was necessary to try to explain herself. "I just hadn't seen them in so long and…it was good to finally be here…with my parents and my brothers."

Jeremiah's lips curved a little, and Winnie noticed. "What?"

"Nothing."

"No, you were thinking something. I could tell."

Jeremiah paused and rubbed his hand over his chin. "I was just thinking that I wished you didn't feel like you had to lie to me."

Winnie felt her face growing warm, but tried to remain confident. "What do you mean?"

"I know that these people are not your family."

Winnie breathed deeply. "Of course they are. Why would you think that?"

Jeremiah's eyes locked onto hers. She could see now that they were deep brown, like mud or chocolate. "I know that Jesse is not your brother."

"And how do you know that?" Winnie knew that her voice was growing defensive, but she could not help it.

Jeremiah smiled slowly, almost sadly, and cocked his head to the side as he had done so many times that day. "My sisters don't look at me the way you look at Jesse."

Winnie was speechless, but it didn't matter because the door opened and Miles entered the house. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes," Jeremiah responded and gave Winnie a final grin. "You take care of yourself now, Winnie." 

"You, too," she said quietly, but he was already gone. She turned and went back to the kitchen, where Tuck and Mae were wiping off the counter. "Where is Jesse?"

"I think he went upstairs for something," offered Mae. Tuck concentrated on the counter and did not look up at her.

"Do you need any help?"

"Oh, no, dear. You just go into the living room and make yourself comfortable. I know you must be exhausted."

Winnie nodded gratefully and went into the living room. She practically fell into one of the padded rocking chairs, which felt good to her tired body. She glanced at the stairs, but did not hear any noise coming from the loft. It's just as well, she thought. He doesn't want to speak to me anyway, so why make both of us uncomfortable?

After a while, Winnie felt her eyelids growing heavy. Several times, her head would fall to her chest and she would awake with a start after dozing off for a second. However, she was not able to fight off her drowsiness for long and fell asleep leaning against the wooden back of the chair.

The next thing that Winnie was aware of was a strong pair of arms lifting her from the wooden seat. The room was dark, except for a small ball of light coming from a candle that she did not see. Her eyes tried to focus but could not. "Who's there?"

"Hush, child," whispered Angus Tuck. "Hush and go back to sleep." He lowered her onto the sofa, then placed a quilt over her small frame. However, Winnie did not notice the quilt. She was already asleep.


	23. Chapter Twentythree: Sunburn

Author's Note: Thanks again for reviewing, everyone. It really does make an author's day. Anyway, many of you had questions. Some of them will be answered in the next couple of chapters, while some of them will have to wait a while. Just a tip, if you want to see the next chapter of a story that you know has been posted, but the site won't let you get on to it, then do what I do. Go to a random chapter (but not the first one) and see where is says something like chapter=2. Delete the 2 and put in the number for the desired chapter. If the person has recently updated, it will come up. Anyway, enjoy this next chapter! 

Chapter Twenty-three: Sunburn

When Winnie opened her eyes the next morning, she was surprised to find herself lying on the couch in the Tuck's living room. She searched her mind, but could not figure out how she got there. I remember saying good-bye to Jeremiah, she thought sleepily, and I remember speaking to Mae about Jesse. Then I sat down on the rocking chair. How did I get here?

Tuck. He put me here, she remembered suddenly. It was dark outside and he put me on the couch to sleep. That was thoughtful of him, she thought with a deep yawn. She sat up on the sofa, stretched widely and pushed off the quilt. Then a voice called to her loudly, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Oh, Winnie, I'm so glad that you're awake," said Mae as she made her way into the living room. "I didn't know if you were ever going to wake up, you poor dear. You must have been awfully tired." The older woman gave Winnie a sympathetic smile.

"What time is it?"

Mae glanced at the small wooden clock above the fireplace. "Almost noon."

Winnie's eyes bulged. "Noon? I can't believe I slept so long."

"Well, you certainly deserved it after walking all that way yesterday. Miles was telling us this morning about how far you and Jeremiah traveled." Mae shook her head sadly and clucked her tongue. "I can't believe you walked so far, and only wearing a pair of socks!"

"Where is Miles?"

"He and Jesse went into town for work. I think they'll be coming back sometime this afternoon. Would you like some breakfast? I still have biscuits on the stove."

Winnie nodded and stood up from the sofa. She was still wearing her dress from yesterday, but her shoes had been removed. A horrible thought stuck her. Did Jesse see me like this? I look like a mess, she thought. What if I snored in my sleep or said something silly while I was dreaming? Her face flamed with embarrassment as she came up beside Mae at the counter. 

The older woman studied Winnie carefully. "You sure have a good sunburn, Winnie. You'll need to put some cream on that or it will peel."

Winnie raised her fingers to her face and touched her cheeks gently. "Yes, I suppose I do," she remarked when she felt the warmth beneath her fingertips.

"Well, don't you worry. I know a good remedy for sunburn. I'll give you something for it as soon as you finish breakfast." Mae placed a plate of biscuits and honey in front of Winnie and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Uh, Mae?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I don't mean to be a burden to you, but is there any way that I could…well…is there any way that I could maybe take a bath?" Winnie's face scrunched up regretfully, but Mae waved a hand at her.

"Oh, of course you'll be wantin' to do that. Why, I didn't even think about it until you just said it. You can use our tub after you eat."

"Thank you," said Winnie gratefully and took a bite of her biscuit.

After Winnie had finished her breakfast, Mae led her to the bedroom and showed her a large metal tub that was sitting in the corner. "I'll get the water for you, honey. You just sit right there and wait." She disappeared through the door leading into the living room.

Mae hauled in six buckets of well water by herself, though Winnie tried to let her help. "Don't you be silly, dear. Make yourself comfortable." She went back for the last load as Winnie sat awkwardly on the bench. Mae returned a few moments later and poured the water into the tub. "One more thing," she said and left the room again before Winnie could protest.

Mae returned with a large kettle of steaming water. "You don't want it too cold, do you?" She poured the water into the tub and watched it steam up. "There. Now, I don't have much in the way of soap, except for this glycerin bar that I buy from the chemist in town. I know you're used to sweet smelling things, like rose oil, but I don't have any, so…" Mae trailed off as though she were embarrassed of her choice of soap, but Winnie was quick to assure her. 

"This is wonderful," she said softly and gave Mae a hug. "Thank you."

Mae smiled at Winnie. "You get all cleaned up, and I'll have that cream ready for you when you get out."

The semi-warm bath water felt wonderful to Winnie's aching muscles. She used the glycerin bar to clean the dirt off of her skin and from under her fingernails, then dunked her head under the water to wash her hair. She stayed in the tub until the water grew chilly and her fingertips became wrinkled. Rising out of the metal container, she wrapped herself in the towel that Mae had left on the wooden bench. She dried her skin and wrapped her hair in the towel, as her mother had taught her to do. Winnie padded across the room and noticed that her dresses were spread out neatly on the bed. Mae must have been up early if they're already dry, she thought. It was sweet of her to do clean them.

After she had dressed and combed out her wet hair with Mae's brush, Winnie returned to the living room. Mae peeked in from the kitchen and smiled at the younger girl. "Did you have a nice bath?"

"It was wonderful," Winnie said honestly. "I don't think I've ever enjoyed something so much in my life."

"Well, come in here so that I can put this cream on your face. I don't want your beautiful skin to get freckles."

Winnie obeyed and sat down in a chair in the dining room as Mae applied a thick white mixture to her bright pink face. The cream felt blessedly cool against her warm skin, and Winnie sighed contentedly. 

Mae settled back to admire her work and laughed when she saw Winnie's face. "Well, don't you look a fright!"

"Do I?" Winnie reached for the mirror by Mae's hand and gasped. Her face was completely covered in the heavy, white cream. It struck her that the mixture looked very similar to whipped cream and she began laughing. 

Mae smiled at the girl and laid her hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. You only need to leave it on for about twenty minutes." She rose from her seat at the table and opened the front door. "I'm going to ask Tuck to drain that tub before it starts leaking. If you don't want him to see you with that treatment on your face, then you can go upstairs to the loft and wait until he's done."

Winnie took a final glance into the mirror and made her way upstairs. The loft was sunny and bright because of the small circular window below where the roof came to a point. Winnie looked at the beds and tried to guess which one was Jesse's. This one, she decided, running her hand along the blue checked flannel blanket. She lowered herself onto the bed and sighed deeply. 

"What am I going to do about you, Jesse Tuck? Are you going to ignore me forever?" Winnie's fingers continued to trace patterns in the flannel as her thoughts grew more serious. Why wasn't he speaking to her? Wasn't he glad that she was here? Maybe he realized that he didn't want to marry her after all, she thought miserably. Maybe he took one look at her ragged appearance and decided that he didn't find her attractive. Or maybe he had already found someone that he loved better while he was living in Patterson. Tears stung her eyes and she struggled to brush them away without wiping off the cream. She realized that it was the last possibility that hurt her the most. What would she do if Jesse had found another girl?

Winnie snapped out of her daydream when she heard footsteps on the stairs. She jumped off of the bed and stepped forward. "Is he finished?" 

A figure stepped into the loft, and Winnie froze where she stood. Her hands came up over her mouth, where they hit a thick layer of white cream, smearing it over her lips. The person's mouth dropped open, but no words escaped from it. 

Standing in front of her with an astonished look on his face was Jesse Tuck.


	24. Chapter Twentyfour: Talk

Author's Note: Once again, thank you for all of the reviews, even the ones who encouraged me to improve. I hope everyone loves this chapter. Keep reviewing, please! And tell me what you like about it or what needs to be better. I look forward to those the most.

Chapter Twenty-four: Talk

Jesse closed his mouth when Winnie's hand flew up to her face, but his expression did not change. It took Winnie only a couple of seconds before she realized that she needed to leave. She nearly ran to the staircase, mumbling, "Excuse me" as she moved past him. He said something to her as she hurried down the stairs, but in her haste, she could not understand any of it. When she came to the first floor, she made a beeline for Mae and Tuck's bedroom.

Walking into the bedroom, she saw Tuck leaning over the metal tub. Frantic to find somewhere to go to wipe off the cream, Winnie rushed back into the living room, where she ran smack into a person wearing a dirty white shirt that smelled like a barn. She looked up to see Jesse staring down at her with a bewildered expression on his face. Tears formed in her eyes and she moved away from him so that he would not see her cry. 

"Winnie, wait!"

Winnie didn't stop, so Jesse placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her around to face him. His eyes softened when he saw that she was crying, and Winnie tried to turn away. "Winnie, look at me," he said firmly and she obeyed. He studied her for a moment until she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment under the heavy layer of cream.

"What, do you like to see me squirm? Let me go."

Jesse looked hurt at her words. "Why are you mad at me?"

Winnie scoffed, unable to comprehend such a statement. "Why am I mad at you? Did you just ask me why I am mad at you?" She shook her head as white-hot anger surged through her body. "I'll tell you why I'm mad, Jesse Tuck. You didn't say two words to me last night at dinner. You hardly looked at me when you gave the tour. You-you-you just ignore me! And then you stare at me like I'm a horrible ugly monster and you still don't say anything!" Winnie felt warm tears flowing down her cheeks, washing away lines of cream. 

Jesse looked as though she had just punched him in the stomach. "I'm sorry, Winnie. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

"It doesn't matter," she said, suddenly very tired. "It doesn't matter anymore." She started to move away from him to find a towel to wipe off her face.

"Wait, Winnie, don't leave. Can we go for a walk or something? I want to talk with you."

Winnie stopped and turned back to face him. Even though her vision was clouded with tears, she could see that he looked hurt and apologetic. And, even though she felt like an idiot for thinking so, he still looked as good as he always did, dirt and all. Slowly, she nodded her consent.

She used a dishtowel to wipe off the cream and followed Jesse outside. The afternoon sun was warm, but not too hot. Jesse picked up one of Mae's hats from the porch and she accepted it gratefully. She might have felt embarrassed about wearing it, but after Jesse saw her with the treatment on her face, the hat seemed positively elegant. 

Jesse led them out by the lake and down to the end of the dock, where they sat beside one another. Neither of them was wearing shoes, so they let their legs dangle out over the water like children. 

They were silent for a few minutes, each of them soaking up the landscape and sorting through their own thoughts. Finally, Jesse spoke. "I'm sorry that I made you feel bad when I didn't talk to you. I didn't mean to do that."

"Then why didn't you talk to me?"

Jesse pursed his lips and breathed deeply through his nose. "I was scared."

"Scared?" Winnie laughed. "Of me? Why would you me scared of me?"

"Because I hadn't seen you in so long! Why, you were only ten when we left Treegap. It felt odd seeing you again."

"Odd?" Winnie's nose turned up at the word. "Did you just call me odd?"

Jesse's eyes grew large. "No! It's just that…you were so young before. Now you're…well, you're…"

"Older?"

"Yeah."

Winnie nodded understandingly. "It felt odd seeing you again, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

The two of them were silent for a moment as they retreated to their thoughts again. Winnie stared out at the lake and studied the way the water reflected the hills in the distance. She could not see the actual color of the lake, which was probably brown, only the greens and grays and blues of the trees and rocks and sky. A fish darted up from the water to catch a fly and broke through the layer of colors, sending ripples out across the lake. The tiny wave moved toward the dock until it lost its momentum and stopped beneath her feet.

"I'm seventeen now."

"Yes, I know."

"You do?" Winnie cast a surprised glance at Jesse's profile as he nodded. "So, why is odd for you to be around me?"

"When you were younger, it was so easy to be with you. I could dance and sing and show off and you would laugh like you really liked me. I knew it wouldn't be the same."

"Why not?"

Jesse sighed. "Because you're older now. You have other things in your life, other people you care about. You have your parents and your friends…and Jeremiah."

"Jeremiah? I only met him yesterday."

"Really? You seemed so friendly with him. I just thought that maybe…"

"Maybe what?"

Jesse took a deep breath. "I thought maybe you were engaged."

Winnie couldn't have been more surprised if he had told her she had grown an extra head. "You thought we were engaged?"

He nodded hesitantly, and she spoke again. "But we're not."

"I know that now, but before…I just didn't know how to act around you. It was…" Jesse paused and Winnie completed his sentence.

"Different?"

"Yeah."

Jesse's hands moved in his laps, as though he couldn't quite keep still. Winnie reached over and covered them with her own. His skin was warm and rough from working, and she smoothed her fingertips over his callused palm. His eyes met hers and she bit her lip. A part of her she knew the reason why Jesse felt so awkward around her. It was the same reason that she couldn't look at him without feeling her stomach tie itself up in knots. 

"Maybe it's okay that it's different," she whispered.

He swallowed. "Do you think so?"

She nodded and kept her eyes locked on his. They were bright blue, like the sky or the ocean, and Winnie felt herself getting lost in their depths. Suddenly, the rational, self-conscious part of her brain barged in and trampled over her dreamy feelings. She looked away quickly as she felt her face heating up again. Luckily, the sunburn covered up any evidence of her embarrassment. She cleared her throat.

"So, it's settled then?"

"What is?"

"You and me. We aren't going to be awkward around each other anymore."

"Oh, yes, that's right. We won't." Jesse smiled at her, but she thought he looked disappointed. 

"Jesse!" Tuck's voice cut through Winnie's thoughts like a knife. She and Jesse both turned to see Tuck standing on the porch with a hammer in his hand. Jesse stood quickly. 

"Sir?"

"I need you to help me for a minute with this chair. We need an extra pair of hands."

Jesse turned to Winnie apologetically, but she waved him away. "It's alright. We'll finish talking later. I think I'm going to sit here for a while and watch the birds."

He nodded at her and started back down the dock. Then he turned back and said, "But we're okay now, right?"

"Yes, Jesse, we're okay."

He nodded again. "Good."

She watched his retreating form as he walked toward the house and ran the last few words of their conversation through her mind. Somehow, she was disappointed to only be "okay" with Jesse Tuck.


	25. Chapter Twentyfive: Learn

Author's Note: Hey, everyone. Sorry for the delay with this chapter. I have been uber-busy trying to finish two papers that are due this week. Besides that, I was struck by inspiration to write something separate from this story. Don't you hate it when that happens? It can't strike when I have nothing to do except write for a long time. No, it has to attack right when I need to concentrate on school and this story. BTW, if you are wondering why I update so quickly, it is because I never study. No, really. Writing this is like an addiction. So, you should all appreciate the sacrifice I am making for you! Just kidding. Anyway, on with the story!

Chapter Twenty-five: Learn

The rest of the afternoon passed rather slowly. Winnie stayed at the end of the dock for another hour after Jesse left, then rose to go back to the house. Once inside, Winnie went into the kitchen, where Mae was preparing dinner. She smiled at Winnie cheerfully. "There you are. I was startin' to wonder where you'd gone off to."

"I was sitting out on the dock. The scenery is beautiful."

"Yes, it sure is. It would have cost us a pretty penny to live out here if the house hadn't been in such bad shape when we moved in. Luckily, Tuck and Miles were able to fix it up good." Mae studied Winnie's face. "How did that cream work for you?"

"Well…I think it turned out okay."

"You won't see results right away, but by tomorrow it should be fine. Within a couple of days, everything will be as good as new."

"I'm sure you're right." She paused and looked around the living room. "Where is everyone else?"

"Oh, the boys are out back trying to finish a rocking chair. I'm surprised they aren't done by now."

Winnie sighed and surveyed the kitchen. A large mixing bowl had been placed on the counter beside a cutting board covered in flour. White dough clung to the edges of the bowl like a child to his mother's legs. Her eyes trailed down the counter to another cutting board, where a huge hunk of dough sat miserably in a desert of flour. "What are you making?"

"Bread. Would you like to learn how?"

Winnie nodded, and Mae began showing the younger girl around the kitchen. After giving her the recipe and showing her the ingredients, Mae left Winnie to herself to see what she could do. Half of an hour later, the two of them stood back to admire Winnie's creation. 

Mae spoke first. "Well, it's not bad…for your first try."

"It looks kind of…flat." Winnie reached out and poked the ball of dough, which barely gave into the pressure she put on it. "And hard."

"Well, just give it some time. It will probably rise." Mae smiled at Winnie, but she could see through it.

"It's horrible, isn't it?"

"Well, it isn't that bad. It's just…okay, yes, it's horrible. I don't think it will be edible." Winnie's face fell slightly, but Mae was quick to reassure her. "But don't you worry, honey. The first time I made bread by myself, I forgot to add yeast. That thing was like a stone. If you dropped a piece on your foot, it probably would have broken something."

Winnie laughed as the front door swung open. Miles and Jesse entered the kitchen, each of them wearing a thin coat of sweat on their golden skin. Mae poured them each a cup of water from a clay pitcher by the cabinet. "Did you and your father finish that chair?"

"Yes," Miles answered after taking a large gulp. "I'm going to take it into town on Monday to sell. Pa thinks it'll fetch a good price."

"Well, his things normally do," Mae said.

Miles nodded and glanced around the room. "What are you doing in here?"

"I was teaching Winnie how to make bread."

Miles peered closely at Winnie's lump of dough, then grinned widely. "I take it this one is yours?"

Winnie frowned. "And if it is?"

"Then I would say you were a pretty bad cook." Winnie turned to Jesse, who was grinning at her widely. She placed her flour-covered hands on her hips and glared at him. 

"And what do you know about baking, Jesse Tuck?"

"Enough to know it shouldn't look like that," he said, pointing at the lump. Miles busted out laughing, but Mae swatted him in the stomach.

"You cut that out now, you hear? Winnie did a wonderful job. Now, both of you need to go outside and clean off. I don't want any dirt on this floor. You know I mopped yesterday."

"Yes, Ma," said Miles, setting his cup on the counter. He put his hand on Jesse's back and pushed him towards the door. 

When she heard the door click, Winnie sighed. "I guess I don't have a future in baking."

"Oh, nonsense. It just takes a little practice, is all. In fact, you can help me next week when I make jam. How would you like that?"

"That sounds wonderful." Winnie untied the strings of her apron and hung it from a hook it the corner of the room. "If you don't mind, Mae, I think I'm going to go back outside for a while. I don't think I would be of any help in here anyway," she said, smiling.

Mae nodded. "Dinner will be ready when this bread is done, so don't wander off too far."

"I won't." Winnie stepped out onto the porch and gazed out at the lake. She laughed when she saw Miles and Jesse running towards the lake, pushing one another as they went. Jesse was trying to pull off a shoe when Miles hit him from the side. They both tumbled to the ground, with Miles on top. Winnie gathered her skirts and ran to the dock, where she fell into a fit of laughter at the sight of two fully-grown little boys sprawled out on top of one another. Miles pushed himself away from his younger brother and removed his shirt, throwing it in the dirt while Jesse tried to catch his breath. Winnie watched as Miles sprinted down the dock and jumped into the lake.

Winnie looked at Jesse, who had pulled himself up to his elbows to watch Miles's jump. He shook his head and leaned over to finish removing his shoes. "Why did he push you like that?"

Jesse looked up, surprised to see her standing there. "Oh, he was just being a mean older brother, is all. Truthfully, if I hadn't had so much trouble with these shoes, he would be sitting here right now instead of me," he said, grinning. He stood, barefoot, and looked Winnie straight in the eye. "You goin' in?"

"In where?"

"Well, the lake, of course!" Jesse grinned at Winnie mischievously. "What, you aren't scared, are you?"

"Well, no," Winnie stammered nervously. "It's just that I don't know how to swim very well. My father tried to teach me when I was nine, but my mother didn't think I would ever need it, so she made him stop."

Jesse looked thoughtful. "I can teach you, if you want. Me and Miles, that is." He glanced down to the end of the dock, where Winnie could hear splashing. She followed his gaze and saw that Miles had pulled himself up onto the wooden planks, where he had rested his elbows. He shouted at her from across the distance.

"Are you coming in, Winnie?"

Jesse cupped his hands around his mouth. "She can't swim!"

Winnie rolled her eyes, somewhat embarrassed that her lack of skill was being proclaimed throughout the land. However, Miles did not seem to think anything of it. "We'll teach you!"

Winnie sighed and looked at Jesse for reassurance. He smiled gently. "It's okay, Winnie," he said quietly. "We won't let anything happen to you."

She swallowed and nodded. "Okay."

Jesse stripped off his shirt while Winnie took off her shoes. It occurred to her that Mae had cleaned this dress earlier that morning, but pushed away the guilt over messing it up again. Jesse led Winnie down the dock as he had earlier that afternoon, coming to a stop when they reached the end. Miles had pushed off from the dock and was doggy-paddling a few feet away.

Jesse jumped in first, sending warm drops of water flying in her direction. She wiped her face and looked at the surface of the lake. It didn't seem that bad, she thought. It looks peaceful even, and safe, especially with Miles and Jesse in there to protect me. She cast a worried look in their direction, but they each gave her encouraging smiles. "Go ahead, Winnie," said Miles. "Jump in."

Winnie plugged her nose with her fingers, as her father taught her to do when she was young. She took a deep breath through her mouth and closed her eyes. You can do this, she thought. You can do this. Without another moment's hesitation, Winnie Foster jumped into the sun-drenched lake.

The water hit her skin like a blast of warm air. Her dress clung to her body, wrapping itself around her waist and legs. She felt herself descend a few feet, then rise to the surface. Her face hit the air first, and her neck and shoulders followed. When she opened her eyes, drops of brown water clung to her eyelashes. She looked around for Jesse and Miles, but did not see them. She gasped in fright, and her hands shot out from the water. She may have been able to keep herself afloat had she not been so shocked that she was alone, but her fear got the best of her. Before she could take another breath, the water swallowed her back up again.

Being under water felt different this time. Winnie's legs began searching frantically for the bottom of the lake, but it was not there. Her hand reached desperately above her, and her fingers skimmed the surface, but she barely noticed. An eerie, hollow sound filled her ears. She could not open her eyes. Her lungs burned with a lack of oxygen, and a small amount of water leaked into her throat when she gasped for air. The distant sound of splashing echoed around her, but her mind could conceive of nothing save the inky darkness sucking her into its endless depths. She did not even understand what was happening when a pair of hands grabbed the fabric around her waist and pulled her up to the world of air.

When her face broke the surface, she tried to inhale a large gulp of air. Her lungs rejected the breath, sending her into a fit of coughing to rid themselves of the water she had consumed. The arms around her tightened, and she felt a hand brush her hair out of her eyes. "Oh, my God, Winnie. Are you okay?"

Winnie blinked slowly and tried to focus. Miles's face, just inches from her own, was filled with guilt and worry. She nodded stiffly, but clung to him when she looked back at the water. 

"Do you want to get out now?" Winnie's eyes lifted to see Jesse paddling a few feet in front of her. His face was a reflection of Miles's, etched in guilt and concern. She swallowed and nodded, and Miles took them both to the edge of the dock. He held her as Jesse climbed up onto the wooden planks and reached down to pull her up. His strong arms came around her as he lifted her out of the water, then held her tightly when she was standing firmly on the deck. Miles used his own strength to lift himself out of the water.

"I'm going to go get Ma," he said quietly, glancing at the both of them. "I'm sure she has some clean towels she could use." He turned away and began walking quickly down the dock as streams of water dripped from his soaking trousers. 

Jesse held Winnie at arm's length and studied her carefully. Their eyes locked and Winnie could see how truly worried he was. I could have died, she thought. I could have drowned in that lake and never resurfaced. The sudden realization of what had happened hit Winnie with full force, and she choked out a sob. Jesse reached out for her as she collapsed, tears running down her face in rivulets of salt and mixing with the brown coating of lake water that she had not wiped away. He held her against his chest, and she clung to his neck as if she needed a life preserver in case should she fall back into the water.

When her tears had run dry, Winnie stepped back and looked at Jesse again. His eyes were wet, too, but she saw no sign of shed tears. He only looked sad and worried. She wondered what he had been thinking, but realized soon enough. He was wondering about the water. Not the water from the lake, but the water from a place far from this one with properties he knew only too well. Winnie glanced away because she did not want his eyes to see what she did not want to tell him. 

Soon, she promised him as they walked along the dock towards the house. Soon.


	26. Chapter Twentysix: Lie

Author's Note: Maybe it's just me, but it seems like no one is reading this anymore. I think the length is keeping people away. Anyway, don't leave me all alone! Keep reading and reviewing, okay? My classes are still keeping me incredibly busy this week, so I am lucky to be posting this at all. So, enjoy this because it may be a couple of days before the next one is posted. Oh, and yes, Erin Faith, I do have the entire story locked up inside of my head. I already know the destiny (or is it fate?) of Winnie, Jesse, and the others, so stay tuned…

Chapter Twenty-six: Lie

Tuck was angry.

Jesse and Winnie were walking up the steps to the porch when Tuck burst through the front door. His face was flushed and his eyes were narrowed. He looked at Winnie, who was still shaking visibly, though Jesse had given her his shirt to dry her off. His eyes softened a little when he saw her like that, but hardened again when he moved his gaze over to his son. "What happened?"

"It was my fault, sir." Jesse cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I was going to teach her to swim, but didn't watch her the right way."

"That's not true," Winnie protested, coming up beside him. "I panicked and started to go under. It wasn't his fault."

Tuck remained quiet as his eyes drifted over the two of them, who were still dripping lake water from their clothing. "Well, don't just stand there. Come inside and dry off." He turned and went back inside, holding the door open for Winnie and Jesse.

Mae rushed in from the bedroom with a stack of worn towels. "Oh, thank God you're alright, Winnie," she said, embracing the younger girl in a fierce hug, despite her wet clothes. When she released her, a huge wet spot was left on the front of her dress. She handed Jesse and Winnie the towels. "Now go get changed. Jesse, your shirts are on the bed upstairs, and, Winnie, I have your other dress laid out on the bed in here." She motioned to the bedroom as Jesse went up to the loft. 

Dinner that night was quieter than usual, if that was possible. Everyone focused on their plates and the food, not because they cared about what they were eating, but because they didn't want to have to look at one another. Winnie was especially embarrassed about the day's events. It seemed that dinner in the Tuck household had become a very uncomfortable affair since she had arrived, and she knew that she was entirely responsible.

Miles was the first to excuse himself from the table. "I think I'm going to go to bed now."

"But it's only 7:00," said Mae.

"I know, but it's been a busy day." Miles stood from the table and pushed in his chair. His eyes locked onto Winnie's and she saw guilt residing in their depths. She smiled at him softly in reassurance and thought she saw him give a small nod. "Good night, everyone."

Mae and Winnie washed the dishes as Tuck went outside to smoke his pipe and Jesse went up to his room. Mae chattered on about the rocking chair the men had completed earlier, describing the wood, the cuts, the finish, and the future sale. Winnie listened politely, though she knew that Mae was only talking about the chair so she wouldn't have to ask what everyone else was already thinking. 

Tuck came back in a few minutes later and announced that he was going to bed, too. Mae nodded and continued scrubbing a pot covered in soap. Winnie looked up to say good night, but realized that he was already studying her curiously. "How are you feeling?" His voice was much kinder than it had been earlier.

"I'm fine."

"Good." Tuck nodded and turned back towards the bedroom. "Very good."

Winnie watched his retreating form until he closed the door behind him, then turned her attention back to the cup she was holding. 

"He isn't angry with you."

Winnie glanced up at Mae, surprised to hear her speaking so seriously about the situation that no one seemed to want to discuss. "He seems like he is," she whispered.

"No, he's just worried." Mae handed her the pot she had finished washing and picked up a plate. "He gets like that sometimes. I don't know why."

Winnie watched her own hands as she made slow circles over the metal surface with a hand towel. "Am I causing too much trouble here?"

Mae's head snapped up and she looked at the younger girl, surprised. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know. I just seem to be creating a lot of problems. I mean, telling Jeremiah your last name and now almost drowning…I just don't want to make things difficult for you all."

Mae put down the plate she was holding and grasped onto Winnie arm, nearly causing her to drop the pot. "Don't you ever think that, honey," she said, her eyes dark and bright with feeling. "We're all so glad you're here, even Tuck."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Now, I think this is the last of it," Mae said, handing Winnie the plate. She wiped her hands on her apron as Winnie dried off the dish and placed it in a pile on the counter. 

"Where do these go?"

"Oh, just leave them there. We'll let the menfolk put them up tomorrow," she said, laughing. Winnie smiled and removed her own apron. 

"I'll do it for you."

Winnie glanced up to see Jesse standing by the stairs. He motioned towards the stack of plates and walked around the counter until he stood beside her. Mae sighed and untied her apron. "Well, it's settled, then. I get to go to bed." She gave Jesse and Winnie kisses on the cheek as she walked by. "Good night, you two."

"Good night," they echoed, watching her as she followed Tuck's path into the bedroom, closing the door with a click. Suddenly nervous to be with Jesse alone, Winnie stared at the stack of plates.

"Where do these go?" 

"In the cabinet up there, but I'll put them away." Jesse took the stack in one arm and used the other to open the glass door of the cabinet above the stove. When he came back for the pot, he stopped and looked at Winnie. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

He paused, then held up the pot and looked inside of it as though it would tell him how to proceed. "Did you drink the water?"

Winnie knew that he would ask her that sooner or later, and she knew that the entire family was wondering the same thing. However, she had never come up with an answer to the question should it ever come up, probably because she had not come up with an answer for her own question. She tried stalling. "What water?"

Jesse peered at her as though he didn't quite understand what she meant. "Well, _the_ water. You know, from the spring back in Treegap."

Winnie looked down at the floor and licked her lips. She didn't know how to answer him. She obviously hadn't taken the water yet, but she was going to soon, right after she convinced herself that it was the right thing to do. After the episode earlier that day, she was almost ready. Almost, but not entirely. But how could she say that to Jesse? He would be hurt if she said no and would probably wonder why she had even come to them in the first place. That's a good question anyway, she thought wearily.

"You don't have to answer me if you don't want to. I mean, I kind of guessed you hadn't anyway after this afternoon…" Jesse trailed off, but his eyes were still focused on her, asking her to confirm or deny his assumption.

"I have," Winnie said boldly, surprised at her own words. "I did drink the water. Before I left home."

"Really?" Jesse's face showed surprise as well, but it was a more pleasant version. "I just thought since…"

"Yeah, well, I just panicked," said Winnie with a fake chuckle. "It's hard getting used to this."

"Yes, I know," said Jesse, looking at the pot again. He turned away and placed it in the cabinet beside the one for the dishes. When looked back, Winnie was watching him with an expectant look on her face.

"So, you seem surprised."

"Do I?" Jesse wiped his hands on his dry trousers. "I guess I am. Part of me thought I would never see you again, so it came as a surprise that you were even here in the first place. I just didn't know what to expect."

"And now?"

Jesse looked at her calmly. He swallowed and parted his lips slightly, then closed them again. "I still don't know."

Winnie nodded. "I don't either."

Jesse and Winnie looked at one another for a long moment. The house was silent, save the sound of Tuck's snoring that filtered in front the bedroom. Winnie smiled at the sound and Jesse followed, chuckling softly. 

"I don't have to work tomorrow, so maybe we could spend some time together. I could even take you to the forest and show you my favorite spots."

"I would like that."

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow then." Jesse walked around the kitchen counter and towards the stairs. "Good night, Winnie."

"Good night," she whispered to the sound of his creaking footsteps. She walked into the living room and stood near the staircase, listening for sounds from above. Jesse's feet padded against the wooden floor, echoing down to her waiting ears. She heard him rustling with the blankets for a moment, before settling into bed, causing the bed frame to creak. After some more rustling of the bed sheets, the loft ascended into silence.

Winnie tiptoed over to the couch and pulled back the sheets. She lay on the worn cushions and brought the quilt up around her shoulders. Though she was tired, she could not close her eyes, and though she wanted to sleep, she could not get comfortable. All that she could think about was how she had lied to Jesse Tuck. 


	27. Chapter Twentyseven: Kiss

Author's Note: Sorry it's taken so long to update, but it was a very stressful week. On top of everything else, I got writer's block on what you can see is a very important chapter. It is extra long, though, so it should keep you satisfied until I update again. Thanks for all of the kind reviews, though! You don't realize how much they mean to you until you start getting them all the time. Anyway, read and review!

Chapter Twenty-seven: Kiss

The morning sun greeted Winnie early the next morning. Its rays filtered in through the window, creating yellow streaks on the Tucks' wooden floor. Winnie shaded her eyes with her hand and looked at the clock on the mantle. 7:30. No wonder I didn't wake up to the sun yesterday morning, she thought lazily. By noon, it's already past the window. 

Winnie sat up on the couch and threw her quilt off. Mae was in the kitchen by herself, breaking eggs into a small bowl. She looked up at Winnie and smiled. "Getting an earlier start this morning, aren't you?"

Winnie smiled sheepishly as she made her way into the kitchen. "It looks like I am."

"Well, you're not the last one awake this morning. Jesse's still upstairs. He likes to sleep late when he doesn't have to work." Mae cracked the last egg into the bowl.

"Where are Miles and Tuck?"

"Oh, they're outside fixin' somethin'. Lord knows why Miles works every time he gets a day off from the shop." She wiped her gooey fingers on her apron. "Are you hungry, honey? I'm fixing breakfast right now. It should be done in a few minutes."

"Can I help?"

"Well, of course. Let me get you started on the ham." Mae ushered Winnie over to the stove and began showing her how to make breakfast. Even after her experience the day before with the bread, she still enjoyed being a part of the process of making a meal. She watched Mae's hands as she toasted the bread and cooked the eggs. Mae had certainly developed a skill after almost a century of practice. Winnie mused over how long it would take for her to become an expert, too. Hopefully not that long. 

After about twenty minutes, Tuck and Miles came in through the front door. Tuck used his handkerchief to wipe his brow, then took a deep breath. "What smells so good?"

"Winnie's cooking," Mae said brightly as the younger girl blushed.

"I think that's stretching it a bit, don't you?"

Mae patted Winnie on the shoulder and walked over to give her husband a kiss on the cheek, not minding that he was sweating. "Are you getting everything done?"

"Yes, we are," Tuck replied, stuffing his handkerchief back into his pocket. Miles walked past the counter and went upstairs to the loft. 

"I don't see why Miles has to work so hard on his day off, Tuck," Mae said to her husband worriedly. "He needs to relax sometimes, but he never does."

"You know he doesn't want to do that, Mae."

"Why not?"

Tuck paused and sighed, glancing over to where Winnie stood by the stove. She continued to focus on the ham, but couldn't help that one ear was tuned in to hear Tuck's response.

"Because he doesn't want to think too much. He likes to keep busy."

"There's nothing wrong with thinking. I see you out there with your wood works. I can't imagine you don't do some contemplating yourself."

"That's different, and you know it. It's Miles, Mae. He can't just…" His deep voice trailed off, and Winnie imagined that he didn't want to discuss personal issues in front of their guest. After a few seconds, she heard Mae pick up her bowl again while Tuck walked into the living room to remove his tool belt. 

"Is that ham almost done?"

Winnie snapped out of her reverie and glanced at the meat. "Yes, it is."

"Good, it looks like everything's ready." The words had barely come out of her mouth before Winnie heard a creaking sound coming from the stairs. She looked up from the stove to see Miles walking back toward the kitchen with a very sleepy looking Jesse trailing slowly behind him. 

"Well, good morning, sleepy head. You're just in time."

"For what?"

"For breakfast. Winnie helped me make it."

Jesse glanced over at Winnie for the first time and grinned. "I don't know, then. I mean, after what happened yesterday with the bread, I might not want to chance it."

Winnie narrowed her eyes at him, but couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips. She felt like Rebecca must have felt when Tom would tease her about her cooking. The thought made her blush slightly because she remembered how obvious it was to her that Rebecca was in love. Did she look like that now, with her cheeks flushed and her eyes twinkling? She imagined that she must, which warmed her face even more.

After breakfast, Winnie helped Mae clean up the kitchen and Miles and Tuck went back outside to continue working. Jesse disappeared upstairs for a few minutes, but returned just as the women were finishing up. "Are you ready?"

"Oh, are you two going somewhere?" Mae asked.

"Yes, I'm going to show her the woods."

"Well, have fun. Winnie, I'm baking some more bread this afternoon, so you can help if you'd like."

"That sounds wonderful. I look forward to it." Winnie walked into the hall, where Jesse was waiting. He opened the door for her, and they walked outside onto the porch. The sun bathed the wooden planks with rays of light and wrapped thick blankets of warmth around their bodies. Jesse led her down the steps, and they walked past the house to the edge of the forest.

"Did you go to the forest very often in Treegap?" 

"Sometimes. My mother wouldn't let me for a long time after you all left, but she eventually forgot about it. I didn't tell her where I was going most times, so she never even knew." She stepped over a large log blocking her path and continued walking. They had reached the forest by then. The trees were packed together very densely, which meant that Winnie spent a great deal of time ducking branches. Overhead, the tops of trees came together to create a quilt of dark greens and browns, with patches of sky blue stitched in intermittently. It reminded Winnie slightly of her woods at home, but she decided that she liked these better.

"So, where are we going?"

"I can't tell you. It's a secret."

"A secret? You mean you can't say anything?"

"Nope." He looked back at her and pretended to lock his mouth and throw away the key. Winnie giggled.

"Oh, come on. Just give me a hint."

Jesse shook his head, but kept his mouth closed tightly. 

"So now you can't even talk?" Jesse shook his head again and kept walking straight ahead. Winnie stepped over a pile of leaves to catch up to him. "You won't even say anything?" She thought for a moment, then broke out into a smile. "It's okay. You probably don't even know where we're going anyway. We're probably lost or something."

"No, we're not!" The words flew out of Jesse's mouth before he could stop himself. When he realized what he had done, he covered his mouth with his hand and glared at her amicably. "That was mean, Winnie. You tricked me."

"So, you can talk. Now, where are we going?"

"I can't tell you! Don't you want it to be a surprise?"

"No."

He sighed. "It will be better if it is a surprise."

"Will it?"

"Of course. Don't you trust me?" Jesse turned and looked her straight in the eye, and Winnie felt that the conversation had suddenly turned serious. 

"Yes, Jesse, I trust you."

He nodded and kept walking, and Winnie followed him without asking questions. They walked in silence for about twenty minutes before Jesse turned and stopped. Winnie had been concentrating on not tripping over a root and did not see him. She plowed right into him and ended up stepping on his foot. He let out a low yelp as her hands flew to her mouth. "I'm so sorry, Jesse! Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, but we're here now."

"Where?"

"Here." Jesse took her hand and led her through the trees and into a small clearing. It was nothing spectacular, but Winnie could see why he had brought her there. There was a rough circle of open space that was about fifteen feet in diameter. It was surrounded on all sides by a thick line of trees. In the middle of the clearing was a large rock formation that was about ten or fifteen feet high. "So, what do you think?" He asked hopefully.

Winnie looked around them at the line of trees, then focused again on the rocks. "I like it."

"Do you really think so? I mean, it's nothing much, but…"

She turned to him and squeezed his hand slightly. "It's wonderful."

His eyes held hers for a moment before shifting over to the rocks. He let go of her hand and walked over to them, motioning for her to join him. He pointed out crevices in the structure, then helped her climb up to the top. A few seconds later, they were sitting side by side on at the top of the boulder, gazing down at the ground below.

"It's so different from up here. The leaves on the trees are so close I could touch them." She reached out a hand to touch the limb of a tree near her, but couldn't quite reach. "Maybe not."

Jesse reached out to the branch. His fingertips brushed a leaf and he grasped it between two fingers, then pulled. The leaf jerked away from the branch with a crisp snap. He presented the leaf to Winnie on the palm of his hand as though it were a crown. "Is this what you were after?"

Winnie smiled and accepted the emerald colored jewel. She wove it into the chestnut strands behind her ear and leaned back so that Jesse could see. "What do you think?"

"Perfect. You look like the Queen."

Winnie tried to look severe. "Where are your manners, boy? Dare you address me simply as 'the Queen'? Guards, take him away!"

Jesse laughed heartily. "Victoria herself couldn't have done a better job."

"Well, thank you," she said, smiling. They fell into a companionable silence as Winnie took in more of the scenery. The trees were so green in these woods, and the browns so brown. The whole scene was more vibrant than anything she had ever witnessed in her entire life, and she drank it in like warm cocoa on a cold night.

The two of them sat together on top of the boulder for a long time talking. He told her about the forest and Miles' shop and his job at the stable, while she told him about Treegap and how it had changed since they left. Winnie felt comfortable talking with Jesse and imagined that she could never be bored as long as she was with him.

"So, what else have you been doing?" asked Jesse. "It's been six years. Did you go to school?"

"No, my mother had be privately tutored. I didn't learn anything interesting, though. Just needlepoint and fashion and etiquette. It didn't last very long because there wasn't much to learn. Lately, my mother has been keeping me busy with social events. We must keep our status in society, you know," she said sarcastically, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Jesse laughed.

"That sounds horrible."

"It was. I must have jabbed myself in the finger with that tiny needle a thousand times." She paused. "What about you? Besides working at the stable, I mean."

"Nothing as exciting as you."

"Really."

"I'm serious. Needlepoint is fascinating and dangerous."

"Are you making fun of me?" Winnie glared at him and smirked, but his face remained grave.

"Of course not. I'm jealous."

"You're jealous," Winnie echoed.

"I am," Jesse replied.

Winnie looked at him for a full second then pushed him away with her hand. He tottered as though he was going to fall off the rock, then steadied himself and began laughing. "I was only teasing, Winnie!"

She laughed. "Yes, but that's all you've done since I arrived. Is everything funny to you?"

Jesse's smile disappeared. "Well, not everything."

Winnie's breath caught in her throat for a moment as she let the implications of his statement sink in. However, before she could think about it for too long, a tiny drop of moisture splattered on her forearm. She wiped it away quickly, but others soon followed, landing unceremoniously on her hands and face and dress. Jesse sprang up from his seat and offered her his hand. Together, they climbed from the boulder and began running through the woods. 

The rain began to come down harder as they retraced the path they had taken earlier. Jesse led her through the labyrinth of trees, looking back every few seconds to make sure that Winnie was still behind him. By that time, both of them were soaking wet. Strands of Winnie's dark hair pasted themselves to her pale face while the fabric from her dress clung to her legs and arms. 

Winnie, who had not been trained as a lady to travel at this speed for such long distances, ran out of breath very quickly. After a few moments at that pace, she could stand no more. "Jesse, I can't run like this!"

Jesse stopped and turned back to see where she was. "It's all right. We're wet anyway. A little more rain can't hurt us, can it?" Winnie smiled, but could not answer him because she was breathing so hard. Jesse stopped smiling and took her arm to lead her over to a tree. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to go so fast. I was just trying to…" His voice trailed off when Winnie put her hand over his mouth to silence him. 

Jesse's concerned expression faded into something that Winnie could not define. Her fingers fell from his lips, but he caught them before they could return to her side. Despite the cold layer of rain that coated his skin, his hands were still very warm. His fingers intertwined with hers briefly before letting go. They moved to her waist, then slid to the small of her back. He pulled her forward gently until their bodies were barely touching. Her hands moved up to his chest, coming to a rest above his collarbone. Her eyes met his nervously, but Jesse's tender expression washed away her fears. He reached up with his free hand and wove his fingers through her dripping tresses. She closed her eyes slowly as Jesse leaned forward. His lips, smooth and wet, met hers softly at first, but with increasing passion. She tasted rainwater as it ran between their mouths and felt it flowing down their cheeks in sheets. 

After a few seconds, Jesse pulled away from her slightly, untangling his hand from her hair. He touched her face gently, wiping away the rain with his fingertips. He followed them with his eyes as they came to a stop at the lips he had been kissing only seconds before. Winnie watched as his serious expression gave way to a slow, gentle smile. He looked up until his eyes met hers again. They stared at each other for several seconds before Jesse broke the silence. 

"We should probably be getting back. Ma will be starting to bake soon, and you don't want to miss your lesson."

Winnie nodded, though she didn't agree with him. He stepped backwards and let his hand slide from her back as she removed her own hands from his shoulders. He walked a few feet through the trees, then stopped and waited for Winnie to catch up. When she had, Jesse paused, then reached out and grasped her hand firmly in his larger one. 

He didn't let go until they reached the house.


	28. Chapter Twentyeight: Bread

Author's Note: Wow, it has been a long time. I hadn't intended to wait so long to write this chapter, but it was a long and difficult section to write. Thanks to everyone who is still interested in this story. I will try to update the next chapters more quickly, so don't lose hope. I will finish this story! I have everything planned out already and there will be some interesting scenes in the chapters to come. Just hang in there and keep reviewing! I need to know that people still care about this story. Anyway, happy reading!

Chapter Twenty-eight: Bread

Jesse and Winnie arrived back at the house dripping wet, though neither of them really noticed. When they stepped into the front hall, Mae poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Oh, I was so worried about you both! Just wait right there and I'll fetch you some towels." Mae rushed off to the bedroom, the ties on her apron swinging wildly behind her. Jesse turned to Winnie and reached over to squeeze her hand.

"I'm sorry you got all wet," he whispered.

"It's okay. I'm used to it by now."

Jesse smiled gently, and Winnie did the same. However, the moment was cut short when she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up to see Tuck standing by the counter studying them closely. Embarrassed, Winnie let go of Jesse's hand. Tuck noticed the gesture, but didn't comment on it.

"Are you both alright?"

Jesse nodded. "Yes, sir."

Tuck started to speak, but was interrupted when Mae rushed past him with an armload of towels. "These are the last of them. I haven't had time to clean anymore after what happened yesterday, so you'll have to be careful until I can wash again." She glanced at Winnie's dress and shook her head. "Well, at least you have one more that you can wear, don't you?" 

"Yes, ma'am."

Mae smiled sympathetically. "You poor thing. You get soaked to the bone every day you're here. Now, go back into the bedroom and change."

Winnie thanked her and took a towel, then made her way once again to the Tuck's bedroom. When she had finished changing into her last clean dress, she walked back into the kitchen, where Mae was taking out everything she would need to make the bread.

"Oh, good, I'm not too late."

"You're right on time," said Mae. "You want to fetch me that bowl over there? Yes, that's the one. It looks like we're ready."

Winnie heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Jesse stepping down from the last one. His hair was still wet, but he had changed into a dry shirt and trousers. He gave the two women a smile as he approached the counter. "You about to start your lesson?"

Winnie gave him a coy smile. "Yes, you're just in time."

"In time? In time for what?" Jesse's confused expression gave way to one of realization. "Oh, no, I'm not. Men aren't good at cooking."

"We'll just have to change that then, won't we?" Winnie reached back to retrieve the last apron from the hook in the wall. She presented it to him with a bright smile. 

Jesse blinked. "I am not wearing that." 

Ten minutes later, the three of them had successfully created a fairly large lump of dough that Mae said would create two loaves of bread by the time they were finished. Jesse looked skeptical.

"It's not even big enough for one, Ma. Are you sure we don't need more flour?"

"No, honey, it's going to get bigger. That's why we knead it and let it sit. It's going to rise."

"We're going to need it? What does that mean?"

Mae sighed and smiled patiently at Winnie before turning back to her son. "Kneading means we have to work with it like this." Mae rolled the dough in her slightly wrinkled hands and pushed into it with all of her strength. "Now you try it."

Jesse approached the lump uncertainly and grabbed the dough with both hands. He worked with it as Mae had done, pushing it in and around as it squashed audibly between his fingers. Mae and Winnie shared a surprised glance as they watched him. 

"You're doing so well, Jesse! I'm proud of you," said Mae approvingly. She reached over to squeeze his shoulders as the sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs. The three of them looked up to see Miles. He started to speak, but stopped short when he saw Jesse. He looked shocked at first, but was soon laughing. Jesse flushed bright red, but remained silent.

"What are you wearing, Jess? Is that one of mother's old dresses?"

"Miles Tuck!" Mae leaned forward to swat him, but missed by several inches. Miles glanced back at Jesse, who looked as though he would have loved to rip the apron off right there. Instead, he removed his hands from the lump of dough and wiped the flour on the pink and yellow fabric.

Mae sent Miles into her bedroom to help Tuck fix a broken window. Jesse continued to look embarrassed, but allowed himself to be coaxed back into his work. Mae proceeded to give them tips for kneading and informed them of how long they should allow the bread to rise in between. However, before she could finish her lecture, a soft thud was heard from the bedroom. It was followed by an exclamation from Tuck and indecipherable questions from Miles. Mae frowned and made her way back to the bedroom to investigate.

Jesse watched her go, but did not follow her, most likely because he did not want his father to see him wearing anything with a lace trim. He continued to knead the dough as Winnie watched. His strong, slender fingers moved in a rhythm, pushing and pulling. She remembered how his fingertips had brushed against her lips in the forest in the rain. She blushed slightly at the memory, then turned even redder when she wondered if he would kiss her again. 

"What's wrong?"

Winnie started slightly at the sound of his voice, but shook her head. "Nothing. Why?"

"You look all flushed. Are you too warm?"

Winnie was amazed that she didn't turn scarlet at his observation. "No, I'm fine."

He nodded and looked back at the lump. His hands stopped moving in the dough, and he wiped them on the apron. "Winnie, I've been thinking…"

Before Jesse could finish his thought, Mae and Tuck came bounding into the living room, with Mae holding Tuck's left hand in her smaller one with his palm up. "Now, stop fussing and let me bandage it up for you."

"It's not bad, Mae. It's only a small cut."

"I don't want it to get any worse, Angus."

"Mae…" Tuck's voice trailed off as his wife let go of his hand to get her box of medicine. He sighed and turned to see Jesse and Winnie standing close together on the other side of the counter. Winnie thought she saw a shadow of disapproval in his dark blue eyes, but he glanced down at Jesse's apron before she could be sure. "Having fun?"

Jesse blushed, but nodded. "Ma's just teaching me how to bake."

Tuck nodded as Mae came back into the kitchen with a bottle of salve and some cotton wrappings. A few minutes later, Tuck's thumb was wrapped up in a thick layer of pale guaze. He eyed the treatment uncertainly, but a stern look from Mae kept him silent on the matter. 

Winnie turned to speak to Jesse and found that he had already removed the apron. "What are you doing?"

"I think Miles is going to need some help with that window. Besides, I think you and Ma are better at this than I am." He gave her a small smile and disappeared into the bedroom.

"You may as well take a rest too, Winnie," said Mae as she wiped a drop of salve from the counter. The bread needs to take a break for a while so it can rise." 

Mae exited the kitchen to put her medical supplies away, leaving Winnie and Tuck alone in the kitchen. Winnie untied her apron and hung it on the wall beside the one Jesse had been wearing. She turned to find Tuck watching her carefully. "Well, since both of us appear to have nothing better to do, would you like to take a walk?"

Winnie hesitated, then nodded quickly so as not to offend him. They stepped out onto the porch and walked down the rickety wooden steps. Tuck led them to the edge of the water, then began walking along its banks. Winnie followed apprehensively, still remembering her experience the day before. Her eyes darted over the surface of the lake, which had seemed so beautiful when she and Jesse had been talking on the dock. Now all she could see was the brown murkiness that was so deep she couldn't see the bottom. She could still feel the way her feet kicked below her, struggling to find the soft, muddy bottom of the lake when all she felt was water. A shiver passed through her body at the thought and she forced herself to look away. Tuck, however, noticed the movement and gave her a worried glance. "Are you cold, Winnie? I could get you a blanket or a coat from inside."

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

Tuck paused and nodded. "Are you still thinking of your experience yesterday in the lake?"

Winnie was somewhat startled by his intuition, but she did not show it on her face. "A little bit."

"Well, that's understandable. I'm sure it was very frightening for you."

"Yes."

"I know that Miles and Jesse were very concerned for you. It gave them quite a scare as well."

"I know."

"I know they wouldn't want to lose you so soon after you found us again."

Winnie halted, but Tuck took a few more steps before turning back to look at her. She studied him seriously for a moment, but for once he did not study her. Winnie realized that he knew everything that he needed to know.

"You haven't taken the water yet, have you, Winnie?" Angus Tuck's eyes were tender now and held none of the hardness she had seen in the days before. Her defenses crushed, she could do nothing but shake her head. He waited a few more seconds, then spoke again. "But you are going to, aren't you? You've made up your mind."

Winnie nodded mutely, then changed her mind and shook her head. "I don't know what I am going to do."

"I know you have a difficult decision to make, Winnie, and I know that each choice has its negative effects. But you can only truly understand the effects of one of them. I've discussed this with you before, many years ago now, but I will say it again. Living for fifty years without the people you love is hard, but living forever either way is even worse. It is hard to see that now, but I assure you that it is true. People are meant to die, Winnie. It is nature's way."

Winnie forced away the tears that stung the back of her eyes. "I understand what you are saying, but there is so much involved. I can't just…" Her voice trailed off as the lump in her throat grew larger. 

Tuck's voice was low when he spoke. "You can't leave Jesse?"

Winnie managed to nod as the dam broke and tears flooded her eyes. She brushed them away with her hands. 

"I know that you feel strongly for Jesse and I am certain that he feels the same about you, Winnie. However, I don't want to see either of you getting hurt. You aren't just responsible for your own life anymore; you're responsible for his, too."

Tuck's words struck Winnie in the heart and settled heavily into its chambers. She wiped away the last bit of moisture from her eyes and swallowed. "I would never hurt him," she whispered.

Tuck smiled, but it didn't touch his eyes. "I know you wouldn't." He looked down at the pocket watch chained to his belt. "I reckon Miles and Jesse are probably wondering where I wandered off to. Are you ready to go back inside?"

Winnie nodded and followed him back to the house. However, she knew that she wasn't ready for anything that was to come.


	29. Chapter Twentynine: Family

Author's Note: Hey, look, I updated again! I'm on a roll, huh? Anyway, I do apologize for the error in the last chapter. HAA, you are correct; the Tucks cannot sustain injuries. I apologize for scene involving Tuck's cut hand. It was somewhat essential for the chapter, so I can't exactly correct it now, but I will keep it in mind for future chapters. I'm balancing so many rules and facts that it is hard to focus on the big ones sometimes. One more thing: I have never taken ideas from any of the other stories on fanfiction.net. I have only seen the movie once and do not plan on watching it again until this story is finished. I am trying really hard to use only my own ideas and I think I have succeeded. If anyone wants to talk with me about that, then I would not mind at all. Just email me if you have any problems (or even if you just want to ask a question or talk- I love letters). Keep reviewing on this site, though! If you read the chapter, then review, even if it's just a line. I like to know that people are still interested in the story, or else what's the point of posting? 

Also, this chapter and the next one may seem kind of slow, but I have to set some things in place before I can dive headlong into some serious action. Trust me, it's coming...

Chapter Twenty-nine: Family

Dinner that evening was quiet as usual, but the uncomfortable feeling that surrounded them the previous nights was mysteriously absent. Winnie seemed to be the only one present who was deep in thought. The others ate heartily, concentrating on the meal before them. Winnie picked at her food and moved it around the plate so Mae would not be offended that she didn't like her cooking. 

Tuck made eye contact with Winnie as he set his fork on his empty plate. He seemed to sense her melancholy. Clearing his throat, he said, "You know, I think it's time we added a touch of entertainment to our evenings. Winnie is our guest and it would look bad on us if she were bored. What do you think, Mae?"

Mae shrugged and smiled at Winnie. "I don't see why not."

"Could we play chess?" Jesse leapt up from the table, dropping his napkin on the floor and nearly taking the plate with him. He blushed and sat down hurriedly. "I'm sorry, ma'am. May I go get the chess set?"

Winnie and Mae laughed, and she nodded. He jumped up again and the table tottered, but he was gone from the room before he could notice. Tuck steadied the piece of furniture with his hands and stood up slowly. "I'll make sure the rest of the house stays intact." He winked at his wife and left through the doorway Jesse had gone through a few seconds before.

Winnie helped Mae take the dishes into the kitchen to be washed later. Miles disappeared upstairs. Jesse and Tuck entered the living room with a large, flat chessboard and a flour sack. Tuck laid the board on the table in the center of the room as Jesse turned the sack upside down. Small wooden pieces tumbled onto the floor. Winnie joined Jesse on the floor and examined the fallen knights and pawns. She ran her fingers over the rough edges and smooth contours, marveling at the handiwork. "Oh, they're beautiful!"

"Pa made 'em," said Jesse proudly.

Winnie looked up at Angus Tuck and smiled. "Did you really?"

Tuck shrugged, but he looked pleased. Winnie looked back at the bishop that she held in her hand as Jesse began setting up the board. "We have a chess set at home, but it's nothing like this."

"Do you play, Winnie?"

"Yes, my father taught me when I was very young."

"Are you any good?"

Winnie cast a sidelong glance at Jesse and smirked. "I should say so. I've been playing for 12 years."

Jesse grinned. "Care to play a round?"

"You don't know what you're getting into, Jesse Tuck."

"I don't think Jess ever knows what he's getting into." Winnie turned to see Miles walking up behind her, hands behind his back. He raised his eyebrows in a silent challenge to Jesse, then smiled at Winnie. "You could beat him."

"Is that so, Miles? We'll see about that." He waved his hands over the board like a magician. "Ladies first."

Winnie giggled and moved a pawn. The game had officially begun. Before long, the entire family was gathered around the board watching them and making comments. They all made it very clear who they were rooting for.

"Nice move, Winnie."

"Yes, very clever. It would appear that his queen is cornered."

"It looks like she's got you beat, brother."

Jesse scowled at his mother and brother, then turned back to the game. Winnie watched his perfect fingers alight onto a piece, then flutter away indecisively. After a few minutes, his eyes snapped over to the far corner of the board, where her king waited patiently for his men to defeat the opposing forces. Without a word, Jesse picked up his bishop and moved it diagonally all the way across the board. Every pair of eyes in the room followed the move, including Winnie's. With a smug smile, Jesse knocked over Winnie's pawn, which was protecting the king. "Check."

Mae gasped. "Oh, my."

Miles winced. "I guess I was wrong."

Winnie scanned the board for possible moves, but found none. She sighed resignedly and moved her rook over to guard the king. It didn't matter, though. Three moves later, Winnie's king was down and Jesse was accepting reluctant congratulations from his family. 

When Jesse turned to her, Winnie bowed her head in acknowledgment of his greatness. "I guess you are a better chess player."

Jesse grinned. "Maybe, but it does help that I've been playing for about eighty years."

Winnie laughed and a funny idea popped into her head. She wondered if those eighty years would matter very much if the two of them played against one another for a few more centuries. For once, the thought of immortality did not seem so serious. 

Jesse challenged his father to a second game and Tuck accepted. As they began setting up the pieces again, Miles pulled a small harmonica from his pocket. "Anyone ready for a song?" 

Winnie jumped up excitedly and sat beside him in a chair brought in from the eating area. "Can you really play that, Miles? What songs do you know?"

"Just about anything probably." Miles put the instrument to his lips, creating a low whistle. A few seconds later, the notes came together in a quick dance song that was popular when she was young. Mae and Winnie began clapping along with their hands as Miles tapped the beat on the floor with his shoe. The men involved with the chess game glanced up when the music started, but quickly returned to the game.

"What else do you know, Miles? Anything with words?" He nodded and put the harmonica to his lips again. The song was much slower than the others were. It was a hymn Winnie remembered from church in Treegap. Beside her, Mae began filling in the words. Too pleased to be embarrassed, Winnie joined in, filling the air with the sound of her sweet soprano voice. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound they made and the words she knew by heart.

When the song ended, she sighed contentedly. Her eyes fluttered open dreamily and focused on the first thing in her view: Jesse. Their eyes met and she knew that he had been watching her as she sang. There was something in the way that he looked at her that reminded her of their afternoon in the rain. His lips were parted slightly, but she couldn't look at his lips. All she could see were his eyes, which burned brightly in the semi-darkness of the room. 

Tuck leaned forward and tapped Jesse on the hand. He jumped at the touch and looked at his father, bewildered. Tuck smiled gently and motioned to the chessboard. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I have check mate."

Jesse looked down at the board, confused, while Winnie cleared her throat, feeling much the same way. Mae told her that she had a beautiful singing voice and she accepted the compliment with subdued humility. Miles rose from his chair and slipped the harmonica into his pocket. He pecked his mother on the cheek and placed a hand on his father's shoulder, then said good night to everyone before ascending the stairs to the loft. 

"I'm going to pick berries for the jam tomorrow, Winnie. Do you want to help me?" Mae pushed her chair into the dining room and blew out the candle on the table. 

"That sounds wonderful."

"Good." Mae kissed her other son good night and disappeared into the bedroom. Jesse could barely look Winnie in the eye as he said good night as well, but he did manage a sort of embarrassed half smile before following his brother's lead.

Tuck finished putting away the chess pieces and left the board and bag on the table. He started walking towards the bedroom door, but stopped a few steps away from the doorway. He paused thoughtfully and looked at Winnie. "You did well tonight, girl." Without another word, Tuck stepped into the bedroom and closed the door.

Winnie stood in the half-darkness, letting the silence settle around her. She let her eyes wander past the table with the abandoned chess set and the chair Mae forgot to put away. A thousand stars were visible through the window. She settled into the couch that was her bed and closed her eyes, the words of a familiar old hymn fading into unconsciousness.


	30. Chapter Thirty: Berries

Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I'm sorry for the long delay. Two years! I recently decided to revisit my old story on a whim and realized that I really wanted to finish what I had started, especially since I had planned it all down to the last detail. And I couldn't leave my loyal readers hanging, could I? LOL, everyone has probably already given up on me, but maybe some of you have stuck around. I apologize if the story seems off at all or if I have included details that are factually incorrect. I haven't read the book in almost three years, so please forgive me. Anyway, here is the next segment. Please review!

Chapter Thirty: Berries

The next morning, Winnie awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside of the window next to her makeshift bed. She smiled and yawned. I could get used to this, she thought lazily as she shrugged off her blanket and put her feet off the floor. She sniffed the air appreciatively as she stretched. Yes, I could definitely get used to this.

Mae called out from the kitchen, "Winnie, are you hungry?"

Winnie walked slowly into the kitchen and nodded. "It smells delicious."

"Well, I am fresh out of jam, so the toast will be dry this morning. But we'll take care of that later, won't we, honey?"

Winnie's brow rumpled in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"Berry picking, remember?" Mae wiped her greasy fingers on her apron. "We're going to make jam this afternoon. If you still want to, that is."

"Of course I do. I just hope I don't mess it up like I did yesterday with the bread." Winnie blushed softly, but the effects were almost invisible thanks to the sunburn that continued to color her face. Luckily Mae's cream had done wonders for her skin and she hadn't noticed any signs of peeling just yet.

"Oh, honey, you didn't mess up anything. And it's almost impossible to ruin jam. That's the best part about it." Mae winked and set a stack of golden brown toast on a plate. "Now, be a dear and set these on the table."

By the time the table was set, everyone was downstairs except for Jesse, who was apparently a late sleeper.

"It's not my fault," said Miles as he took a piece of bacon straight from the pan. "I told him to get up, but he just rolled over and went back to sleep." He stuck the bacon in his mouth as Mae swatted him on the arm.

"Miles! We haven't even blessed the food yet! Now, go get your brother."

Miles grinned at Winnie as he finished off the bacon, but obeyed his mother. As Mae, Tuck and Winnie settled into their seats, Miles returned to the room and sat down. Seconds later, Jesse wandered in behind him and took his seat.

Tuck blessed the food and everyone began eating. Winnie was so hungry that she had finished her food before anyone else. She couldn't remember loving food this much before. Maybe it was because Mae Tuck was the best cook she had ever met. Or, maybe it was because seeing the Tucks again had helped her reclaim her appetite. Either way, Winnie knew that if she continued eating this way, her clothes would have to be let out. But hadn't her mother said that she was too thin? The memory of her mother's harsh words startled her and she put down the last piece of bacon that she had clutched in her hand.

Jesse watched her quietly from across the table. She smiled at him sweetly, though she was still shaking mildly from her memories. He grinned at her and continued eating.

"Do you have work today, Jesse?"

"Yes, sir."

"And how is Mr. Harrison treating you?"

"Fine, sir."

Tuck nodded. "Good. You wouldn't be wantin' to lose such a fine job, now would you?"

Winnie fought the urge to giggle as she thought of Jesse's "fine job" shoveling horse manure. She remembered her first day in Patterson when she saw Jesse for the first time. Covered in dirt, with straw in his hair. She remembered the way he smelled as he gathered her against his chest in a warm hug. Like wood and dirt and…well, it didn't matter anyway. As long as Jesse continued to kiss her the way he did in the woods, he could come home smelling like whatever he wanted to.

Winnie helped take the dishes back into the kitchen as the boys got ready to leave to go into town. She walked out onto the porch as Miles and Tuck packed Tuck's handmade chair onto the wagon to sell. As they started tying off the ropes, the front door opened and Jesse stood next to her, watching.

"It's a beautiful chair."

"Yes," Jesse agreed. "It should earn a pretty penny in town." He turned to face her. "Maybe in a few days we could take you there. To town, I mean. I could show you the shops and we could get ice cream." His face lit up at the thought. "Real ice cream, Winnie! Doesn't it sound wonderful?"

She smiled at his excitement. "It does."

Still grinning, Jesse shook his head, as though the thought of real ice cream was almost too wonderful to imagine. Without warning, he bent down and kissed Winnie firmly on the mouth. Before she could protest or begin to enjoy the taste of Jesse's lips on her own, he pulled away.

"I'll be back tonight before dinner. Maybe we can play another round of chess again." Before she could respond, he was already walking over to the wagon, where Tuck and Miles had just finished securing the chair to the back. Jesse jumped in the front seat and waited for his brother.

Winnie went back into the house and leaned against the wall next to the door. Her mouth still burned where Jesse had kissed it. She ran her fingers along her cracked lips and sighed. Yes, she thought to herself, he can smell however he wants if he promises to do that everyday.

"Are you about ready?" Mae's voice broke into Winnie's reverie, causing the younger girl to jump. She nodded as Mae handed her a basket for the berries and motioned for her to take one of her hats from a hook on the wall. "Don't want to burn that beautiful skin anymore, now do we?"

Mae chattered excitedly as she led Winnie into the forest, taking the path Jesse had only hours earlier. A few minutes into their journey, Mae stopped and pointed at the ground. "There!" She cried, running over to a small plant with small, plump berries. She inspected the crimson orbs before plucking one off the stem and popping it into her mouth. She sighed contentedly. "They're wonderful. Taste one."

Winnie accepted the fruit and followed her lead. She nodded. "They're very good, Mae."

"It will make wonderful jam. Here, come pick off of these bushes over here and I'll look for more on this side." Mae left Winnie to herself as she hunted for more berries on the other side of a large tree. Winnie saw that the area in front of her was covered with plants like the one Mae had shown her. How had she not noticed them all when she was here with Jesse? She decided to forgive herself for her lapse when she considered why she had been so distracted.

"Are you finding many of them, Winnie?"

"Oh, yes, Mae. They're everywhere."

"Good. We'll have lots for our jam, then." Winnie heard her shuffling past a bush a few yards away. "You said you'd never done this before, then?"

"No, m'am."

"Well, I guess you wouldn't have. Your mama probably doesn't want such a beautiful girl as yourself to go huntin' around the forest on you hands and knees like this, does she?"

Winnie froze at the mention of her mother. Her fingers remained still on the berry she had been about to pluck. "No, m'am."

"Well, that's no matter. I'll teach you everything there is to know about makin' jam."

Winnie hardly heard her words. Her fingers closed over the berry and pulled it from the stem, producing an audible snap. But she wasn't really paying attention to the fruit. Instead her mind filled with images of her mother and father back home. Where were they now? Looking for her? Were they worried sick, as they had been six years ago? She thought of her father at the dinner table with his head resting in his hands. Did he look that way now, worrying about where she could be? Winnie's hands trembled and her eyes watered as she considered the fact that she may never see them again.

"Well, that should be about enough." For the second time that day, Mae's words broke into her thoughts. She blinked away the unshed tears in her eyes and stood up straight. As she glanced at her basket, she caught sight of her hand, which was covered in juice as red as blood. Lost in her memories, she had squeezed the berry into a wet piece of mush.

"You collected a fair bit. Are you ready to go make that jam?"

Winnie used her dress to wipe the juice from her hands and forced a smile onto her face. "Yes, I think so."


End file.
